It’s that time of the year again. The top ten lists of the year are out to help us recall the year. It triggers both year and life review and stimulates our long term memory of where we have been, where we are, and where we are going. Seneca said it well. “It’s not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it.” This of course comes with end of the year resolutions that often amount to trying to do better next year.

I often remark during my talks that the most grievous memory error is “trying to remember.” Instead, plan on how you will remember. Good intentions often fall short when a well placed post-it note would serve us well. It’s the same for New Year’s resolutions. A resolution needs to be a planned act. For example, if you want to get healthier in the 2012, make a plan to remember to exercise consistently. Get out your new calendar and mark out four times a week to exercise for the entire year. Let life then fill in around this goal.

I am pleased to say that I took my own advice last year. I now have an office manager, Beth, to do the many things I was not keeping up with: returning phone calls, scheduling appointments, etc. I hope this has made everyone less frustrated with trying to contact me. Dr. Steve Saldukas completed training with me and is now available to assist with assessments and treatment. All of this has made my life less stressful and caused less frustration for those who wanted to contact or make appointments with me. My resolution for 2012 is to create a system to keep up with e-mails as I get behind and sometimes forget which ones I have done.

The idea of a resolution is simple. A resolution should be a plan that you execute during the New Year. Choose your most important goal and mark your calendar now. This all reminds me of the concept from one of my favorite movies, “What About Bob?” The idea is to take “baby steps.” Think small. Be concrete and specific in setting your plan. And don’t forget to mark it in your 2012 calendar. You can build on it later.