Never mind the New Year’s resolutions to shed 10 pounds, go to the gym five times a week and eat only tofu and kale.

If you’re lucky, those goals will last you until mid-January.

Instead, resolve to improve your well-being and vow to do something to brighten your outlook for 2009.

Be inspired. After all, we don’t need to be reminded what a tough year 2008 was for everyone. Here are some idea:

* Do something you always wanted to do. Seriously, ever think about playing the piano, taking up rock climbing or painting water colors?

It really does expand us in ways because it provides us with new and exciting opportunities, said Nancy Schmitt, owner of Aviana Retreat Center in East Hanover Twp.

By venturing into places we have never been before, we make connections that are interesting and we make new friends, she added.

“Every time we learn something new we expand ourselves. We have a better understanding of others which is kind of a nice thing. And, what the heck? It gets us out of our routine which gets us out of our head. If we get stuck in our routine, we tend to think too much,” Schmitt added.

Kathy Montgomery, owner of Wheel of Life in Derry Twp., said many people feel incompetent and shy away from doing new things but taking up a new hobby actually engages our mind.

“Go out and be strong and don’t be afraid of your incompetence,” she advised.

* Take five minutes to breathe, stretch, meditate.

We all have so much we’re trying to hold onto in our mind and we are cramming too much stuff, Schmitt said. By stopping and actually recognizing the moment, you are engaging in mindful meditation which has a lengthy list of benefits, she added.

If you allow five minutes to be in the moment we become more ourselves and we increase our ability to focus and concentrate which is something we all worry about, Schmitt said.

“Get in touch with what’s important to you. Jump off that crazy busy bandwagon. Ultimately, you’ll feel more peaceful and there’s a beautiful flow of what comes next,” she added.

Take three minutes every day and stretch, advised Montgomery. “If you brush your teeth every day, why don’t you take care of your muscles every day?

* Spend time with friends and family in new ways.

Maybe it’s just a matter of making it important to get together with the closest of friends and family, Schmitt said. Instead of doing the same old things with those close to you, think about breaking from routine and enroll in a class together, attend a special meal or go roller-skating.

“How are we going to spend two hours and really enjoy each other?” she asked. “Make it fun. You can rotate among your friends and family who picks what you do. Then it’s left at the whim of the person to choose.”

* Look at what you have done.

So many times we are focused on the to-do list but Schmitt advises that at the end of the day we should look at the list and see what we have accomplished. Turn the attention around to the things we did do and be grateful for what you accomplished, she said. “The to-do list will wait. It’s waiting and you probably wrote it down 20 times,” Schmitt added.

* Play!

Change the way you view exercise. Too many times we consider exercise to be work, not play, Montgomery said. “What makes us happy when we are children, makes us happy as adults, too,” she said. So, ride bikes, play tennis or golf or go bowling. She recommends doing it with a friend or group of friends for the added benefit of socializing.

* Give or volunteer

It sounds like something we’ve all heard before. But it’s proven that people who are volunteers — whether of their time or finances — are happier in life, Montgomery said. So if you want to give $50 to the food pantry or donate your time, these things will make you feel good and it doesn’t have to be something that takes up a big chunk of your time, she said.

Take the weight of the world off your shoulders

We often focus on losing weight but we tend to carry another kind of invisible weight — stress, which can take its toll on our health and well-being, Schmitt said. So vow to take the weight of the world off of your shoulders through things like massage, playfulness, random acts of kindness, laughter or sharing a meal with friends. We can soften and release the “weight of the world” on those tight shoulders, she said.

SUE GLEITER: 255-8230 or sgleiter@patriot-news.com

Section: Life
Edition: FINAL

Copyright 2008 The Patriot-News Co. All Rights Reserved. Used with permission.