Woodward, Okla. —
According to the federal government website USA.gov, the following are some of the most popular New Year's resolutions (in no particular order):
1. Lose Weight
2. Get Fit
3. Eat Healthy Food
4. Quit Smoking
5. Drink Less Alcohol
6. Get a Better Education
7. Get a Better Job
8. Manage Stress
9. Manage Debt
10. Save Money
11. Take a Trip
12. Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
13. Volun-teer to Help Others
But in addition to just listing these popular resolutions, which are made by thousands of Americans year after year, the website also includes links to resources to help people keep those resolutions.
For example, for those who want to eat healthier, there is a link to the USDA's ChooseMyPlate.gov website, which offers a "SuperTracker" to help you track the foods you eat and compare it to your nutrition targets. ChooseMyPlate.gov also has sample menus and recipes to help increase your whole grain and fruit and vegetable intake. There are also Daily Food Plan charts to help you know how much of the different food groups you should have each day based on your age.
For those who would like to find a new career this year, the USA.gov website offers a variety of links to aid in your job search. There is even a link to mySkillsmyFuture.org, which allows you to enter a current or past job and then finds careers with similar skills for you to find opportunities in other career fields.
Or if you're looking to give back and do more for others this year, there is a link for the Corporation for National & Community Service website serve.org. This website has information about various service initiatives across the country, such as the Hurricane Sandy relief effort or a mentoring initiative since January is National Mentoring Month. There is also information to help you build a toolkit to start your own service project or event.
If you've made one of the 13 resolutions listed above this New Year and would like to find resources to help you keep them, then visit http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/New-Years-Resolutions.shtml. Or you can go to the main website USA.gov and search "New Year's resolutions."
The News would like to wish all our readers the best of luck in achieving and maintaining their resolutions. And may you all have a Happy New Year!