Why is that so rare? Because many resolutions are made as a cultural custom; it's simply what we do every year at this time. For the majority, the custom of breaking our resolution is as much a part of tradition as making it.

In our hearts, we expect it to happen. But must it?

How to Keep Your Resolution Going Strong

1. Don't call it a resolution

A formal word that seems to imply gavel-pounding strictness, ?resolutions? are often broken. But ?goals? are not. How do you ?break a ?goal? anyway?

2. Allow flexibility and fluidity

Let's say you want to lose weight. So you make a list of things you will eat, and things you won't. Maybe chocolate is on the prohibited list. If you're like many people, the prohibition will eventually make your desire to eat chocolate stronger. Once you're in the ?what the heck mood,? you will likely eat larger amounts of that chocolate than if it were on your list to eat sparingly. Then self recrimination will kick in, putting you in a bad mood, and where will you go for comfort? Possibly to more sweets.

If you allow occasional chocolate, purchased in a one-serving size, you'll be flexible to allow that pleasure without going overboard. This applies to shopping, sex, and almost anything you can think of, except bonafide addictions. Very few smokers can have one cigarette a day. (And frankly, many doctors say that even that is too many.)

3. Don't boast, especially early in the process

Your friends and relatives are only human. Boast about success with your resolution while they're struggling with theirs, and you court trouble.

If they're failing, it's hard to watch you succeed. Somehow they begin offering you a cigarette, a chocolate, a piece of pie. ?One won't hurt you,? they say. You know the rest of the story.

But stay humble, and support their resolutions non-judgmentally, and you'll probably be supported in yours.

4. The key: Use your conscious and subconscious mind for greater success

Resolutions are created by your conscious mind. But it's the subconscious that usually urges you to fall off the proverbial wagon, or jump off, if you're like many people.

Hypnosis and its twin sister, creative visualization,?do a good job of enrolling your subconscious mind in meeting your goal. The key is to know what you want and what it will do for you when you have it.

Then you can tell your subconscious mind those things in a way it can understand. Or better still, find an experienced hypnotist or hypnotherapist to guide you. Be sure the practitioner you select is either certified by the National Guild of Hypnotists or well-trained in hypnosis during his/her psychotherapy training. If the latter is the case, make sure uses his/her hypnosis training often, as many psychotherapists do not.

Honesty is crucial

Be as honest as possible about the habit: how often, when, how it started, how it benefits you, and then follow instructions.

A good practitioner will likely be willing to teach you self hypnosis to reinforce the work done and so you can work on new, simple issues on your own.

Some people like the autonomy; others enjoy the relaxation and professionalism available when an experienced practitioner is in charge. (The truth is you are ultimately the one in charge, but it's comforting to have an experienced person guide and instruct you.)

Empowering yourself

Hypnotism can make your resolution feel appealing, true, and right to the innermost parts of your mind, and certain hypnosis techniques are especially designed to counter resistance from the parts of you that don't want to go along with it.

That's why my hypnosis practice is nearly always at full tilt after the New Year's Day. Once the resolutions begin to fall apart, clients flock in to do what they need to do: get their powerful subconscious minds aligned with the needs and desires of the conscious.

Often their resolutions take an empowering and exciting twist in the process. As a hypnotherapist, it's amazing to watch the power of people's inner resources. If you ever try it, you'll be amazed at yourself. But whether you use hypnosis to make the task easier, or you don't, creating a New Year's resolution that you can integrate into your life fully and permanently is something to be proud of. ?2008 by Wendy Lapidus-Saltz. All rights reserved.