Okay, we’ve started off the New Year with a bang. So how are those New Year Resolutions coming along? What is it that compels us to make these resolutions anyway?  It seems that we all have the inborn desire to do better, to have a clean slate and start fresh. We really do want to make choices today that lead us to a long and healthy series of tomorrows.

There is one choice that is making 257 women in my hometown of Northfield, Vermont, happy, confident and successful today, and is also making them healthier and happier tomorrow, too. These 257 women took the leap of faith and commitment and joined our town’s new Ladies Workout Express. Together they have lost 496.6 inches and 160.25 pounds in less than six months. I confess that I am one of those happy individuals, having lost ten pounds and 8.7 inches in only one month! I am still at it and loving every minute of it.

What is it that makes a person change old habits? It is the development of new habits. I love working out now because I made it a habit. I was able to develop this new habit because I was guaranteed results directly related to my efforts and I got to meet new people in the process. Being new in town and NOT a gym-body, I was drawn to the feeling of community and fellowship I found at Ladies Workout Express. So for me, I could do something with long-term benefits to my health and well-being because I found a short-term value as well. This is what I mean when I talk about balancing tomorrow, today.

Since our future is built on what we do today, it only makes sense to make sure our choices balance the needs of today with the needs of tomorrow. So what does that look like in practice?

You can use this simple guideline for making sure you make the best overall decisions:

• Ask yourself, does this decision or choice help me now?
  
  
• Then, determine if that same decision will help you in the long run as well.
  
  
• If you can’t answer “yes” to both questions, you may want to rethink your decision or look at the situation from another perspective.

Here’s another New Year example, that most unpleasant four-letter word…DIET! Ugghh! Nobody likes this over used resolution. Let’s look at this situation from another perspective, from the balancing perspective.

For each old eating habit you’d like to replace with a new habit, ask yourself the questions mentioned above:

• Ask yourself, does this food choice help me feel healthy and energetic now?
  
  
• Then, determine if that same food choice will help you feel good in the long run, too.
  
  
• If you can’t answer “yes” to both questions, make a different food choice.

So go ahead and tweak that New Year’s Resolution or make a new one. Just make sure you’re making a choice that is a win for today as well as tomorrow. Set yourself up for success so you can replace your undesirable habits with desirable habits. You can do it!

Dr. Stacie L. L. Morgan is a strategy consultant, international speaker, and author. For more information, visit her Web site, BalancedManagement.com or send her an e-mail.