So after you’ve grown tired of trying to find a use for that horrible Christmas novelty sweater and you have recovered from your New Year’s Eve hangover, what’s left besides praying for an early Spring?

Well, if your like millions of others across the Western world, you might have made a New Year’s resolution.

Be it losing weight, quitting smoking or moving from your house to avoid the delivery of next year’s Christmas sweater, you may find your resolve fading by the time February rolls around.

So I’ll tell you a secret: Everyday is New Years if you want it to be.

I mean it, every day is New Years because the quickest way to slip back into old habits is to hold yourself to some impossible all or nothing scenario.

Usually the things we resolve to give up are things that we know are bad for us, but we actually get some kind of base pleasure or release from.

We want to lose weight, but that pizza place down the street makes some awesome pie. We want to quit smoking, but it relieves the stress of listening to our boss complain about getting those horrible looking Christmas novelty sweaters each holiday season.

But its OK to fail if your willing to get back up and try again.

If we put these things in the terms of any other addictive behavior that causes our brains to think we need something we know we really don’t, relapse is a part of recovery and advancement.

Rome was not built in a day and neither was a weight loss success story. There are no magic wands, and nothing good comes easy.

However, here are three tips to give yourself a better chance:

1) Give yourself permission to fail: As stated above, almost anytime we try to change a major habit, we might stumble and fall a couple times before we run.

This is OK, as long as you do not allow yourself to use this to continue to not achieve your goal.

Your brain will fight for it’s comfort, so show it who is boss, but forgive him if he causes you to eat a slice of cake or sneak a cigarette on Sunday.

2) Break it up: Some tasks are multistage endeavors, like writing a novel or finally fixing up the classic car in your garage.

Looking at how much work and effort goes into writing a book or estimating the repairs on your dream car will need is daunting.

Break it down into smaller tasks, one chapter of the book, fix one part on the car.

Eventually it makes something huge seem smaller and more manageable.

3) Don’t Speak: There is a saying that if you want your dreams to come true, don’t talk about them to others.

Now, I take a slightly different view of this advice. At the moment I have four lovely ladies in my life who would encourage rather then negate me about achieving my goals.

In the past however, my social circle was infected with toxic people who would rather have me stay stagnant, be it through jealousy or disinterest.

So share your resolutions with those who will support you and shut your mouth to those that won’t.

A friend that tells you the extra portion of chips will ruin your diet is good, your coworker who says you won’t quit smoking and tries to hand you one is bad.

So remember this year that every day is New Year’s Day..if you want it to be.

So that’s my preaching for this year, thanks to all that read this column and newspaper constantly and see you next year!