Pretty sweet! The New Year is upon us and we have one foot in the past while another is in the future. Let's determine what we need to change and what we can improve while we are at it. We know that most of the people who set resolution goals will abandon them by February. Actually, according to research, there will be an estimated 80 percent of people who will experience disappointment for failing to keep their resolutions. The University of Scranton found that only 8 percent of people will see their goals reached. Why do we keep failing in this hot pursuit only to find that we are cold on the trail? Are those 8 percent the lucky ones? It is all in the mind U.S. News reported. Without changing the mindset you will continually fail at tackling your resolutions. "Unless you first change your mind, don't expect your health goals to materialize. As the saying goes, it's not the horse that draws the cart, it's the oats. It's not the gym, Pilates class or diet that will change you--it's your mind." What is a resolution anyway? A resolution is characterized as the act of resolving or determining upon an action, course of action and method. Knowing this, here are simple resolutions and methods that you can use for the New Year.

Learn something new.

You know the saying “Stop putting off things for tomorrow if you can do them today?” Find something new you can do for the month. Start off small and work to increase your goals gradually. It can be learning how to dance, sing or paint. Learn something that will make you feel accomplished. To get started, try bribing yourself with a massage or buying a pair of shoes to keep you motivated. Make the first step in expanding your horizons by reaching out to a local college for a class schedule. By doing this, it will help you grow as a person and to grow professionally.

Practice self-love.

Make it a point to love yourself more for the next year. Embrace your flaws. Despite what you hear or see--everyone on the planet has flaws. You can still love yourself despite these hiccups. Watch your mouth. Self-defeating phrases make you want to run away from yourself and not embrace the self-love that is needed. 

Forgive yourself.

We all have messed up and have done regrettable things in the past. We are usually sensitive to others when they make mistakes. When it comes to ourselves we can be really severe. We need to exonerate ourselves from making mistakes. It’s a big relief when you can forgive yourself and not walk in condemnation. You think that this is a simple goal—but it is a hard one. Remember for the New Year to forgive yourself for the mistakes you made.

Love others.

If you love others more it will promote more happiness. A sure way to see how much you love yourself is measuring how you treat them. When we release and love others despite their imperfections, it frees us to grow and move forward. Another way to cultivate more love for others is to refrain from gossip. You really poison the atmosphere and yourself when you are constantly backbiting and conniving. Accept people are going to mistreat you, so rise above this with honor and refuse to enter contentious conversations. You can't love people if you are constantly putting them down.

Overcome criticism.

Build resilience by not taking everything people do personally as this will impede grow in all areas of your life. Take criticism and use it to your advantage. What are the positives in the situation? Write it down and look at the bigger picture. If not, it’s time to toughen up or be trampled on. "Coco Chanel said she didn’t care what her critics said. “I don’t care what you think about me. I don’t think about you at all."

Tackle fear.

Make a decision to not allow fear to block you from moving forward or from reaching the goals we already listed. We are afraid of how we look if we do fail. We are afraid that we are not good enough. This fear is an energy drainer! Find a quote or Scripture from the Bible to encourage you to fight fear with faith. "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6).” Don't let fear own you or rob you of a great future.

Update career goals.

Use this time resume and revise career goals. People usually wait until the last minute to refresh their resumes. You should be doing this every 6 months. If there are weaknesses in your resume that need to be strengthened--take a course or get a certification to beef them up to add more value. Also, update your LinkedIn profile and send letters to contacts to remain in touch.

Change bad habits.

What bad habit did you want to conquer first? Take a small one first. If you tend to watch television too late, put yourself on a timer. If it is ice cream, cut back on the amount you consume. Pour your energy into it and make it happen. There is a feeling of great satisfaction once you complete a goal and then move on to a much bigger goal on your list for the New Year.

Don't let New Year resolutions scare you into not taking action. In fact, once you succumb to this--you are defeated before you start. Accomplishing goals all starts with the mind as it will steer you towards success or failure. Make your goals count past February and you might become part of the 8 percent who succeed in accomplishing your resolutions.