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Top resolutions(In no particular order)

Save money

Budget money

Pay o� debt

Lose Weight

Exercise

Be more active

Cook more/eat healthier

Spend time with family

Be more patient

Learn something new every week

Be nicer

Be more social

Read more

Travel

Finish goalsNote: Resolutions are from a Lee Enterprise Design

Center sta� survey

Budget toolsIf money is your top concern in 2017, get advice from

the experts. Many tools are available online to get a budget started, with a free account. Some ask to link to your fi nan-cial accounts and others simply allow you to type in your amounts. Never share bank account information with a com-pany you have not done research on to fi nd out whether they are credible.

Here is a sampling of sites: Mint.com www.daveramsey.com/everydollar https://www.personalcapital.com/ https://www.budgetpulse.com/ https://www.buxfer.com/

Most of the sites o� er free basic accounts and then o� er other budget tools for a fee.

Find adventureGet some travel inspiration at some of the

“best of” lists compiled on travel sites such as:

www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/best-in-travel www.tripexpert.com www.fodors.com

NEW YEAR, NEW NEW YEAR, NEW NEW YEAR, NEW NEW YEAR, NEW NEW YEAR, NEW NEW YEAR, NEW NEW YEAR, NEW NEW YEAR, NEW NEW YEAR, NEW RESOLUTIONSRESOLUTIONSRESOLUTIONSNEW YEAR, NEW RESOLUTIONSNEW YEAR, NEW NEW YEAR, NEW NEW YEAR, NEW RESOLUTIONSNEW YEAR, NEW RESOLUTIONSNEW YEAR, NEW RESOLUTIONSNEW YEAR, NEW NEW YEAR, NEW NEW YEAR, NEW RESOLUTIONSNEW YEAR, NEW

Stand steadfast in your goals in 2017 with these tips and tricks

Handle stressick stress out of your life in 2017 to make it easier to focus on your resolutions.

Here is what the experts at the Mayo Clinic and the American Heart Associated had to say to help:

Track your stress levels throughout the week. See what the main causes are so you can fi nd ways to stop or alleviate stress. Besides large contributors such as work and child care, positive events can also be a factor. Buying a house or taking the next step in a relationship can soak up time and energy. Make a list of things you need to do and prioritize what can take a backseat while your energy is devoted elsewhere.

Be your own cheerleader. Instead of thinking about things that may have gone wrong and bringing yourself down, focus on what you can do about it. Say things like “I can do this” instead of “I can’t.” Take a minute to relax during the day if you need to by using a light or fun activity. Walking is easy to work into a schedule, whether it’s taking a small jaunt around the o� ce or doing a few laps around a store while shopping. If time and weather al-lows, take advantage of a bike or hiking trail to get fresh air and take your mind away from the hustle and bustle of everyday stress.

Learn to really relax. Go fur-ther than vegging out in front of the TV. To relieve stress, relaxation should calm the mind and body. Use stress-re-duction techniques, such as deep breathing, massage, yoga or tai chi.

Take the stress out of eating a healthy diet. If you have a hectic schedule, slot time for sleep and meals into your day. Prep ingredients you can toss in the refrigerator and freezer on the weekend for healthy meals during the week.

Lay out things your need for your day the night before so you can catch a few more min-utes of shut-eye. Aim for more than seven hours a day.

New reads

Get reading in 2017 by checking out The New York Times best selling list at www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers. Also check out local libraries’ sites to see what new has arrived.

Meet fitness goalsMotivation is key to sticking to new

fi tness goals. But fi rst, make some goals. They should realistic and achievable.

Start o� with some short-term goals. Set an amount you want to exercise a week, and slowly in-crease that goal as you meet it. If you don’t meet the fi rst one, don’t give up, just keeping working until you suc-ceed. If you keep a fl exi-ble attitude about what you want to achieve in the short-run, you will be more likely to keep with it and meet your long-term goals.

You probably have had your long-term goals long before you decided to make a resolution to add fi tness into your life — a beach vacation, taking home a 5K run medal, or even just a smaller pant size. Write them down, but don’t set a date. How

soon you meet those goals is not as important as keeping up with

a plan and getting to the desired destination.

Another way to keep on track is to ask a friend

to work toward the goal together. Sign up for a fun class, or make a workout date. Having someone there for supports will help keep your goals on track. It’s harder to skip

out when there’s an ap-pointment to keep.

If you take a class, or set up a workout regimen, try to not

to keep the same routine every week. New things will keep you ex-

cited about working out.If you can, get a small set of hand

weights to work exercise into a daily routine without the hassle of going to a gym every time. This especially helps on days when your motivation isn’t win-ning over your desire to meet your goal.

And if you need to take a break, do it. Getting burned out is not going to make

you motivated to meet you goals.Finally, remember to reward your-

self for meeting your short term goals. Thinking about a new movie you want to see or a restaurant you want to try will help keep you mind motivated as you sweat it out.

Fast remedies

Here are some emergency stress stoppers:

Count to 10. Take three to fi ve deep breaths.

Walk away from the situation for a little while. Set your watch 5 to 10 minutes ahead to avoid

being late. Break down big problems into smaller parts.

For example, answer one letter or phone call per day, instead of dealing with

everything at once. Drive in the slow lane or avoid

busy roads to help you stay calm

Need a goal? The CDC recommends 10 minutes at a time, or 150 minutes a week.

Here are some weekly goals:

2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate activity such as brisk walking.

An hour and 15 minutes of vigorous activity such as jogging.

Muscle-strengthening activities that work all major muscle

groups two or more days a week

Sources: Centers for Disease

Control, Mayo Clinic, American Heart

Association, webmd

Deborah Hile, Lee Enterprises