New Year’s Eve has come and gone, and now that the champagne is finished and the decorations are put away, it’s time to buckle down and work on those New Year’s resolutions. The only problem is ... your resolutions for this year and last year are the same. Change is tough; you’re not alone in being unable to stick to your resolutions. This year can be different, if you want it to be. Here are some tips to keep you on track. Have a specific goal. Many resolutions are vague — along the lines of “exercise more” or “eat healthier.” That’s too ambiguous to inspire motivation, and vagueness leaves room for excuses. Make your goal more concrete to allow you to measure your success. Specific goals could include going to the gym three times a week, being able to bench a certain number of pounds, or only indulging in fast food once a month. Make your goal realistic — if it’s too drastic or difficult, it’s easier to give up. For Real, This Time How to Keep New Year’s Resolutions
Easy Chocolate Truffles LISA’S KITCHEN
This chocolate truffle recipe isn’t just simple and delicious — it’s completely customizable with unique toppings! It’s sure to be your Valentine’s favorite this year. INGREDIENTS
• 1 1/2 lbs (4 1/2 cups) milk chocolate, melted (110F/45C) • 1 cup whipping cream • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
1. Line an 8-inch square pan with plastic wrap and set aside. Place melted chocolate in a medium bowl. 2. In a 1-quart saucepan, scald cream. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Beat chocolate with an electric mixer. 3. Stop the mixer and pour cream over chocolate all at once. Continue beating, cleaning sides and bottom of bowl with rubber scraper until mixture is smooth and well-blended (no more than 1–2 minutes). 4. Pour into prepared pan and refrigerate 6 hours until firm. Cut into 1-inch squares and serve immediately. Store in the refrigerator. Notes: If round truffles are preferred, omit the 8-inch pan and chill mixture in the bowl until firm. Shape into balls with a small scoop and place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Dip in chocolate or roll in unsweetened cocoa, chopped nuts, or coconut.
Hobbies offer a social outlet. Some hobbies involve group activities, such as bowling, sports teams, book clubs, and even wine tasting. Connecting with others offers the social support humans depend on to lead a healthy and fruitful life. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find some great friends who share the same passions as you! Hobbies develop patience. When you take on a new hobby, you are tasked with learning something new. Whether you’re practicing a new instrument, learning a different language, or figuring out how to make jewelry, a learning curve is involved. Building new skills takes patience, a very important attribute for success. Finding a hobby that suits you may take some exploration and trial and error, but it is all in good fun! Make it your goal to try something new or learn a new skill each month until you find something that sticks. Once you do, you’re sure to find that hobbies are both enjoyable and enriching!
Have a plan. Bad habits are hard to break; change won’t come about naturally. Consider how you’ll structure your day around your resolution and what obstacles you might face. When will you go to the gym, and what will you do if that time is interrupted? How will you plan meals to avoid spontaneous drive-thru visits? Write down what you want to accomplish and everything that might stand in your way. Then, figure out how you’ll deal with them before they happen. Start small. On Jan. 1, you’re probably enthusiastic about your resolution and ready to hit the ground running. Not so fast — doing too much too soon is a classic mistake. It’s okay to be excited, but working out until you’re sore all over or constantly eating salads you dislike will turn your resolution into a chore that you’ll want to avoid. Start with light workouts or replacing some of your carbs with veggies. Once you get the hang of that, you’ll be ready to scale up slowly. Using these guidelines, you’ll make lasting changes that extend beyond February. Get 2022 started off on the right foot, and next year you’ll be ready to make a whole new resolution — and keep it.
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