New Year's resolutions for singles: a whole new 'top ten'

It's New Year's Eve and you know what that means... this is your last chance to make good on 2010 resolutions, organize a "top ten" checklist for 2011 and life in general, postmark your late Christmas cards, and make tax-deductible contributions. Whew! You're a busy singular today. New Year's Eve is also the only time that "dropping the ball" is a good thing, so plan to move forward with a whole new list for yourself.

Whether you're the organized type who likes to make lists and check them twice, or the too-busy-to-write-it-down type who keeps a running tally of everything in your head, the single life demands a lot, every day. Sliding into the New Year can be a life transition filled with reflection, gratitude, goals, and a few extra pounds.

Perhaps a top ten list of ways to avoid needing a top ten list in the future would be a good start? How can singles accomplish so much in so little time, flying solo? If your list stays the same from year to year, maybe you can benefit from seeing the recently published list of worst resolutions in Marie Claire magazine. Sure, it's chick-oriented, but guys can apply most of it, on the flip side.

One of the ten worst resolutions, according to Marie Claire, is the self-imposed pressure to be married by the end of the year. That kind of life-changing commitment, involving control of situations, time and space, and other people is a boatload of trouble, not to mention a very non-romantic scenario. Mistake number 7 is trying to win back an ex, and number 10 is trying to change someone, so relationship points make up about a third of the magazine's chart-toppers. (Re: numbers 7 and 10, see also: big waste of time, and/or movies aren't real life.)

How about starting the year with a list of reasons someone else should be seeking you? That criteria can be applied to different columns for professional and personal life, if you're a hard-core list maker. Why should others hire you, love you, appreciate you, respect you, befriend you (that's a non-Facebook term), or want to make mad, passionate love to you? It's okay, this is your private list, so you can burn it after you make that final entry.

You can throw out the old list items that have been simmering on the back burner for too long, or move them up - you're a different person now, with more knowledge and networking available to accomplish things in the coming year. Make a new plan, or look at your old list upside-down, just to make yourself realize new perspectives and to lighten up a little! Hey, some of the best ideas come to you when you're standing on your head, and you'll see dust bunnies you never knew were there, too.

Happy New Year, new you, or newly improved old you, as you celebrate life's past journey and living to the fullest! Just put yourself on the short list of things to change in 2011, and make your wish list, to do list, and gratitude list an all-inclusive endeavor, thereby saving time and natural resources, and multi-tasking like a savvy singular always does.

A single thought: New Year, no fear!

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