I am not one to make and keep resolutions on an annual basis, and this is partially why this “Happy New Year” blog is almost a month late! If you’ve been following along you’ll know that these last two months have been very significant ones in my life. In December I was at my parents’ home in Trinidad for almost a month (!!), the first time since my wedding that I’ve been there for so long. Then, after my Christmas, New Years and (one of my) bestie’s wedding, I headed back to TO for three days and then to Huddersfield.

Huddersfield, at the moment is significantly colder and has a lot more snow than Toronto. I arrived just in time for it – apparently God has a sense of humour as He proves to me every once in a while.

Anyway, now I’m living in Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, England and after going to Trinidad for a month and seeing all my skinny-minnie friends, I’ve finally decided to be pro-active at losing the weight I gained the first time I migrated (from Trinidad to Toronto). So this year I’ll be losing weight, getting fit, and hopefully, sorting out all my medical issues by starting over with a celiac friendly GP and his/her colleagues. If that doesn’t work I’m going to beg my immunologist sister to fix me…I’ll even move to Ireland where she lives to do so.

One reason I’ve never held onto my resolutions is because I truly don’t usually care or have a reason to keep them, and therefore, sometime around February, I immediately start thinking “this is dumb” or “I really don’t need to” or “What’s the point?” That’s right – negative type thinking that gets me nowhere…I’m sure you can relate whether it be resolutions or something new or jumping into a new sport or starting that new business or whatever….Unwanted negative thinking always seems to enter your mind so much more quickly than positive and self-encouraging phrashes that SHOULD be there….and it seems to stick.

Well, that’s my other resolution…and maybe should be my first one – because it is only with positive thinking that I would be able to reach my goals, and since my life is back on track and out of limbo (that it has been in for the past few months), I have a lot of short and long term physical, occupational and mental goals, all of which I have to work hard at this year to get started and possibly achieve within this year too…

According to Kellogg’s Special K Canadian Positivity Poll which was recently conducted by Angus Reid, 97% of Canadians agree that a positive attitude helps in achieving goals while only 48% of Canadians consider themselves positive. This goes right back to what I was saying (okay fine I got the idea from this poll) when I said positive thoughts should be first and foremost when achieving (notice I did not say trying to achieve) a goal. Your state of mind is the one thing that will keep you going – even if you need a pick me up once in a while from your exterior support system to remain positive.

So, before you decide you’ll be fat/a failure/at entry-level/etc. forever, try these five tips on how to think more positively and live a happier, more positive life (as suggested by Hina Khan – psychotherapist, television personality and Special K Ambassador) ….um….with some interjections by me .

1) Catch negative thoughts before they take over, don’t feed them! Dismiss all negativity! It is as easily done as it is said, I promise! It just takes a little effort in the beginning.

2) Reframe thoughts to the positive. Look at it from a new point of view – for example, instead of “I HAVE to go to the gym”, look at it from a positive slant “I GET to go to the gym” (similarly to the way kids react when they get to go exercise play outside).

3) Live in the present: don’t dwell on the past or worry about the future, focus on the now. It is only the present that you can change – don’t dwell on mistakes or worry about future ones. What are you doing NOW to get yourself to that goal, no matter how small? (eg. eating well and exercising towards a weight loss goal, doing a course to improve your position in your career etc.)

4) Surround yourself with positive people. The Special K research showed that women who lost or maintained weight were three times as likely to have some form of support of positive people who were able to help you stay on track. Plus, negativity does not belong in anyone’s life – always try to look for the positive in all situations, no matter how bleak!

5) Remember the external world is a perception of your internal world – which you can control. Special K also found that women who think positively about their goals and journeys to their goals were more likely to put a stop to negative conversations about their journey or others. Not only is this good practice to stop you from gossiping (come on, everyone does it), but it helps you see the world in a more positive life, live in a more joyful manner and celebrate the small things – and who doesn’t need more celebrations in life?!

In the end, we all get down at times, and negativity is a very strong force, especially with all the news bombarding us with it – but we have a choice, to face life and our goals head on with a positive attitude, or to give up and give in and crumple and die.

Which will you choose this year? I personally am choosing positivity and success.