Along the way, and especially since I started my resolutions-based happiness project, I’ve hit on some strategies for helping myself stick to resolutions.

    一直以來，特別是在我為了快樂而下決心之后，我發現一些方法能幫助自己堅持決心。

    1. Be specific. Don’t resolve to “Make more friends” or “Strengthen friendships”; that’s too vague. To make more friends as part of my happiness project, I have several very concrete resolutions like: “Start a group,” “Remember birthdays,” “Say hello,” “Make plans,” “Show up,” and “No gossip.”

    具體化。不要決定“交更多的朋友”或“鞏固友誼”，這太模糊。作為快樂計劃中的一部分，我的“交朋友”決心非常具體：“建立一個小組”、“記住別人的生日”、"打招呼“、”定計劃“、”到場“、”不說閑話“。

    2. Write it down. 寫下來。

    3. Review your resolution constantly. If your resolution is buzzing through your head, it’s easier to stick to it. I review my Resolutions Chart every night.

    時常回顧你的決心。如果你的決心“余音繞梁”，那么就更容易堅持。我每天都看一遍自己的“決心章”。

    4. Hold yourself accountable. Tell other people about your resolution, join or form a like-minded group, score yourself on a chart (my method) -- whatever works for you to make yourself feel accountable for success and failure.

    建立自我問責制度。告訴給別人你的決心，參加或創建一個”志同道合“群體，用表格給自己打分(我的方法)。任何可以對成功和失敗問責的方式都可以。

    5. Think big. Maybe you need a big change, a big adventure – a trip to a foreign place, a break-up, a move, a new job. Let yourself imagine anything, and plan from there.

    眼光放長。也許你需要有一個大的變化，大的冒險——例如：去異國他鄉旅行，分手，搬遷，新工作。允許自己做出任何想象，然后做好打算。

    6. Think small. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that only radical change can make a difference. Just keeping your fridge cleared out could give you a real boost. Look close to home for ways to improve and grow.

    小處著眼。不要陷入“只有激進變化才能起到作用”的思維。清理一下冰箱，這也是個進步。就近在家中尋找改善、成長的方法。

    7. Ask for help. Why is this so hard? But every time I ask for help, I’m amazed at how much easier my task becomes.

    尋求幫助。為什么會那么難？但是每當我尋求幫助，我會驚奇地發現任務變得簡單多了。

    If you have an especially tough time keeping resolutions, if you have a pattern of making and breaking them, try these strategies:

    如果遵循決心對你來說特別艱難，如果制訂再違背決心成了家常便飯，那么試一試下面的方法:

    8. Consider making only pleasant resolutions. We can make our lives happier in many ways. If you’ve been trying the boot-camp approach with no success, try resolving to “Go to more movies,” “Entertain more often,” or whatever resolutions you’d find fun to keep. Often, having more fun in our lives makes it easier to do tough things. Seeing more movies might make it easier to keep going to the gym.

    考慮制定令人愉快的決心。有很多方法能讓生活更加快樂。如果你一直在采取“集訓”方式而不見成果，那么試試任何你感到有興趣去遵循的決心，比如”看更多電影“、”更多娛樂“。通常，更多的樂趣可以讓難事變得容易。看更多的電影可能必堅持去健身房容易些。

    9. Consider giving up a resolution. If you keep making and breaking a resolution, consider whether you should relinquish it entirely. Put your energy toward changes that are both realistic and helpful. Don't let an unfulfilled resolution to lose twenty pounds or to overhaul your overgrown yard block you from making other, smaller resolutions that might give you a big happiness boost.

    考慮放棄一個決心。如果你不斷建立、打破某個決心，考慮是否要完全放棄它。將你的精力投入那些即現實又有幫助的改變。減肥20磅或翻修荒草蔓生的院子很難實現，并可能阻礙你制定可能給你帶來大快樂的小決心。

    10. Keep your resolution every day. Weirdly, it’s often easier to do something every day (exercise, post to a blog, deal with the mail, do laundry) than every few days. 

    每天遵循決心。奇怪的是，天天做某事比隔幾天做一次更容易(鍛煉、發博客、處理郵件、洗衣服)。

    11. Set a deadline. 設定截止日期。

    12. Don’t give up if something interferes with your deadline. 如果有事情和截止日期有沖突，也不要放棄你的決心。

    13. “Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.” Thank you, Voltaire. Instead of starting your new exercise routine by training for the marathon, aim for a 20-minute walk each day. Instead of cleaning out the attic, tackle one bureau drawer. If you break your resolution today, try again tomorrow.

    “不要讓完美成為優秀的敵人”。謝謝你，伏爾泰。不要用馬拉松來開始你的鍛煉活動，每天步行20分鐘就可以了；不要清理一個閣樓，轉而對付一個抽屜吧。如果今天違背了你的決心，明天去重新來過。

    What else? What are some strategies you've discovered, to help you stick to your New Year's resolutions?

    還有嗎？你還發現了哪些方法來幫助自己堅持新年決心呢？