Top Ten Resolutions - I am sure you have heard that advertising slogan you can't win if you don't play....well statistics show that people who explicitly make resolutions are ten times more likely to attain their goals than people who don't make any resolutions. So, if we buy into those stats why not this year make resolutions that are attainable and can help make you healthier, happier or safer or why not even strive for something bigger like making the world a better place one house at a time. It has to start somewhere doesn't it?

Here are the top ten resolutions that everyone usually has for themselves but this year make your resolutions realistic and attainable with a plan because if you do not make a plan it will just be a wish.

1. Lose Weight - Start off with by trying to eat healthier foods that don't contain salt, sugar, high fructose, corn syrup, and white flour. Stay away from fried food and packaged processed foods. Try to eat at home more so you can avoid the high calories in fast food. Limit your meat in take to once or twice a week, whatever is realistic for you to start.

2. Spend less money- Look for ways that you can cut your expenses without it causing a major disruption, like cutting back on your phone bill or amount of times you eat out or try turning off the lights when they are not in use. Put a timer on your water heater, mow the grass yourself instead of hire someone, go an extra week or two before you have your nails or hair done. Share a ride to work or take the transit system a couple of times a week. There are lots of ideas but key is to pick ones that you know you can do without ahuge amount of effort.

3. Spend more time with family- Go on weekend trips together or have a picnic with no cell phones or computers. Have everyone pick one thing they would like to do as a family that they think everyone would enjoy and do one of those things every week. Make time for your loved ones at least once a week because the bottom line is family is what counts the most in life.

4. Fall in love or stay in love- You have to be lovable to be loved so list out the things you think people most dislike about you and try to work on those one month at a time. Don't try to fix everything about you in one week because we all know that is impossible.

5. Travel more-Put aside 15%-20% of your paycheck every week so that you don't have to come up with the money all at once when you know you need to go but don't have the cash. You most likely won't miss it if you have it automatically deducted and put into a savings account just for travel.

6. Staying Fit- Walking 20 minutes a day can change your life because it can give you a longer and healthier life. If you don't think you can do every day then do 3 times a week and build up. The important thing is for it to be something you can do. If you have never worked out before start slower and gradually build so that you do not injure yourself with sudden over excursion.

7. Quit smoking- Now this is a hard one but there are safe plans out there that can help you to quit smoking so that you don't resort to eating or drinking as a substitute for what you are giving up. Make sure that you investigate the success rate of the company or have someone you know refer you.

8. Enjoy life more- Take the time to appreciate the little things in life that mean a lot. You have to give yourself the gift of time if you want to enjoy more in life. Try to find the good and positive in things rather than look for the bad and negative.

9. Get organized- When you get organized you are more productive and it helps you feel so much better in every way. It will give you more of that much need thing called time. So if you have messy closets, drawers, or an over flowing garage. Pick a project to do every week or month that you can fit into your lifestyle. Give yourself ample time to be able to complete it. But set a specific appropriate time for each project you do.

10. Make more money-In order for you to make more money you have to make yourself more valuable to your employer, so search out new beneficial tasks that you could do or ways that you can save the company you work for more money. Or expand your field of knowledge and take a class to raise yourself to a higher level. If you are in business for yourself then take a day of every week for two hours and make cold calls to companies trying to get new clients. It is a numbers game and you will get new clients if you just don't get discouraged by the no's.

Kinerk, Schmidt and Sethi PLLC, is hoping that 2013 bring everyone a happier, healthier and more prosperous year. We also hope that you found the top ten resolutions helpful, but most of all we hope that everyone includes one resolution that is something they can do, no matter how small towards bringing peace in their community one house at a time.

Happy New Year!