How to Keep Your New Year's Resolution

Are you making a New Year's resolution? Do you want to lose weight, gain a new skill, take more time for yourself, quit a bad habit or maybe organize your house?

Every year, people make resolutions just to feel defeated by February, and give up all together.

Make 2013 different! Whatever your resolution is, here are some tips to help you stick to it throughout the year.

1. Make it attainable. Be sure that your resolution is attainable. Sticking to your monthly budget is attainable—making a million dollars may not be. Resolutions that are practical are much more likely to be achieved.

2. Tell everyone. If you tell everyone about your resolution, you are more likely to keep it. If you want to quit smoking, you can even go as far as telling your friends that you'll give them $50 if they catch you lighting up; it will hold you accountable.

3. Be specific. If you want to get fit in the new year, set a specific goal. For example, instead of saying you want to get fit, say you want to lose 10 pounds and tone your arms and legs. Narrowing down your resolution helps you to zero in on what’s most important.

4. Start small. Create small goals for yourself. If you want to organize your house, assign one room to each month. In January, organize your kitchen. In February, organize your bedroom. In March, you organize your office. In April, you organize your garage, and so on. Take it step by step so that you don't become overwhelmed.

5. Write it down. It's important to motivate yourself throughout the year and track your progress. Write your resolution down on every month in your calendar. Don't let yourself forget about your resolution as the year goes on. At the end of the year, you will be able to look back and feel a sense of accomplishment.

TELL US: What are your New Year's Resolutions? Which ones did you make (and keep) last year? Share in the comments below.