Okay, it’s January and you’re thinking you’re going to take off a few pounds this year, right?  Come on… Unless you’re naturally thin, like Courtney Yates of Survivor – China, you know you’ve thought of it at least once since that last Christmas cookie was eaten – by you – two days ago. You KNOW you’re going to have a body like David Beckham or Angelina Jolie before the ball drops again in New York making it 2009! Right?! I know “I” am! (Of course, a good cosmetic surgeon might come in handy too…)

Okay, let me offer us both some advice… start working on another New Years Resolution. Not what you wanted to hear, right? Those of us that say we’re going to do it, and actually DO IT, are few and far between. It’s not a “resolution” that gets us motivated to do it. Do you want to know what will get you motivated to achieve your greatest desire? Here’s the secret… get your pen ready… the secret is in finding another friend or colleague that you’ve actually witnessed accomplish what YOU want to accomplish that will get you moving.

If you’re one of the ga-zillion people telling yourself you want to get in shape this year, you need to find a mentor. You need to find someone that has already walked the walk you’re planning on walking… or running… to give you the motivation you need. If you don’t have a friend or family member that has already conquered this great achievement, you need to find one!.THIS is why you should join a gym. You can make friends during class. THIS is why you should join a support group, like Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig or whatever else is out there. You can see how others have lost more weight than you in one week and you’ll want to do better for the next meeting.

My motivator is my sister-in-law, Karen. She has lost a lot of weight and looks great. And I think her schedule is even busier than mine.  She’s over 40 and the mother of two very active children. If she can do it, I can too.  Her secret? She did the South Beach diet… and Pilates and some form of martial arts. She went from basically doing nothing, to doing all of these things and she looks great.  In a matter of 6 months, I could drastically see a difference in her appearance. It was evident she was taking control of her health and her life. She eats small portions and exercises regularly (yes, that is part of it).

I remember one time going to a wonderful seafood restaurant in Pensacola with her. I ordered everything fried and couldn’t wait to put it in my mouth. She, however, ordered BROILED food and seemed just as happy after the meal was over. I couldn’t believe it!  On one hand, I was thinking, “How can I give up my love of fried shrimp from Chet’s?” On the other hand I thought, “I feel terrible that I ordered such an unhealthy meal!  No wonder she’s lost weight and looks great and I haven’t lost two pounds.” The “other” hand won. The next time I visited that restaurant, I ordered broiled seafood and LOVED it! I left completely satisfied AND proud of myself for ordering healthy. I would not have done this had it not been for my “mentor,” Karen.

Think about it… Anytime you’ve ever achieved something, it’s been because you’ve wanted to “up” someone else. You’ve wanted to “be on top.” You’ve never wanted to be the one that “couldn’t do it.” You CAN do it! I CAN do it! We WILL do it in 2008!

I’m not just talking about losing weight. I’m talking about everything!  All of those resolutions!  If you want to write, WRITE!  Nothing will motivate you more than knowing someone that has achieved success at the one thing you want most.

If you want to get out of debt, talk to someone that has been there and done that! Did they do it by eating out less or by an inheritance that came their way? Well, I don’t recommend killing off anyone in order to get an inheritance; maybe you should find someone that worked their tail off to get where they are and find out how they did it.

Want to take a trip to Spain? Did your cousin do it? Get the low down and then do it better.  Did they get pick-pocketed? Find out what they think they did wrong and avoid their mistake. Did they go during the rainy season? Go ahead and book your trip for the summer (precipitation is a rarity during that time, I hear).

I have a friend that is deaf. She has achieved so much in her life and is such an inspiration. She has a Masters degree and two beautiful children. She has not let her handicap control her life. SHE controls her life. That is what WE need to do. You and I. We need to take control. We need to stop blaming everyone else and everything that comes our way. If not having enough time in the day is our excuse, we need to “schedule” some time in our day for what is important to us and not let anything interfere with our appointment to ourselves.

Someone sent me a link to a site where a man and a woman, handicapped, dance a beautiful dance. They did not let anything get in their way of the dream they had of becoming wonderful dancers. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnLVRQCjh8c) If THEY can do it, so can YOU! So can I!

So we may not be naturally thin like Courtney Yates… but we can be thinner. We can be healthier. We CAN accomplish what we want to achieve this year. The first step is to find someone that has already been where we are now and get motivated. The second step is to put a plan into action. If it’s your belt you want to loosen or your wallet you want to thicken, you can do it. Believe in yourself and make that first step towards achieving your goal. It’s true. The first step is always the hardest.

Oh, and if by November you still don’t look like David Beckham or Angelina Jolie, you can always save your flexible spending account money for some surgery next December…