Set a New Year's Resolution That Really Works for You

Newswise — For many of us, the New Year signifies a fresh start, a new beginning. Nearly one of every two adult Americans makes New Year's resolutions. The problem is that after six months, less than half of those resolutions are carried through.

Menninger Clinic psychologist Theresa Fassihi, Ph.D., explains why: "Change is difficult, so it's not surprising that most of us can't keep our resolutions, but making a resolution and not keeping it is disheartening. We feel discouraged and disappointed in ourselves.

"It is a tradition to take stock of our lives and think about ways we can improve," she added. "We make New Year's resolutions, which means we are making a commitment to change."

Most resolutions are really commitments to a goal"-to lose weight, to finish a project, to create more balance in our lives. Common mistakes are setting:* Unrealistic goals* Goals you're not really committed to* A vague goal without a method for achieving it

However, there are proven strategies that can improve your chances of keeping those promises you've made," according to Dr. Fassihi, who is also assistant professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine.

Good goal setting happens in five stages and involves:* Clarifying your values* Setting priorities* Setting a challenging, but achievable goal* Developing an action plan* Building in incentives to keep you motivated

NOTE: Dr. Fassihi can comment on how to accomplish each of these stages, as well as the value of goals in making personal dreams and necessary changes a reality.

The Menninger Clinic is a national specialty psychiatric hospital for adolescents and adults in Houston and is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital at the Texas Medical Center. Menninger is consistently named among the leading psychiatric hospitals in U.S. News & World Report's annual rankings of America's Best Hospitals. Menninger was founded in 1925 in Topeka, Kansas, by Drs. C.F., Karl and Will Menninger and relocated to Houston in 2003.