New Year's resolutions Published Jan. 7, 2014 By Lt. Col. Kathleen Mackey 49th Medical Support Squadron, commander HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Do you have a New Year's Resolution for 2014? Are you like so many of us that often make New Year's resolutions, but quit because you never could maintain them? Each January, roughly one in three Americans resolve to better themselves in some way. A much smaller percentage of people actually make good on those resolutions. Statistics show about 75 percent of people stick to their goals for at least a week, less than half (46 percent) are still on target six months later. I went to the web to research statistics on the most common New Year's resolutions. Drum roll please... 1. Exercise regularly 2. Lose weight 3. Eat Healthier 4. Drink Less 5. Quit smoking 6. Better work/life balance 7. Learn something new We have something on base that 46 percent of people who make resolutions never had! We have services that can help teach us the right way to reach our goals, and dedicated people willing to help us achieve those goals. Let's look at goals #1, #2, #3 and #5: Exercise regularly, Lose weight, Eat healthier and Quit smoking. Services from the Health and Wellness Center are offered to active duty, active duty dependents, retirees and retiree dependents. If you are looking to get fit, try the Ultimate Fitness class, Gait Analysis or Body Fat Analysis and let them help you design a fitness plan that is right for you. For losing weight the right way, you can get advice from a nutritionist. The HAWC has individual nutrition appointments, Cholesterol Management classes, Diabetes Management classes, Prenatal Nutrition classes and Better Body and Better Life classes. If you want to kick the habit of smoking, try the Tobacco Cessation classes. Just call the HAWC to register for a class at 575-572-5785. Now how do you tackle #4 Drink less and #6 Better work/life balance? Guess what, the base has services to reach these goals also! Mental Health and Family Advocacy have programs to help you achieve these 2014 resolutions. Start with the Healthy Thinking workshop. Healthy thinking is a skill that can be practiced and strengthened. Oftentimes our thinking is inaccurate or irrational which can cause negative moods such as sadness, anger, anxiety and guilt. Positive thinking patterns can create a higher level of well-being physically and emotionally. Learn tools that will help enhance your mental resilience to adapt to the changing demands of stressful experiences. How about anger issues? Ever wish you could control your temper better? Mental Health offers Anger Management classes. Along with these classes, they offer sleep classes, relationship workshops, post-traumatic stress disorder and new parent support workshops. If you are one that still believes you can't get help, because it might "jeopardize" your job, there is no documentation because these are just educational classes. For more information on these classes call Mental Health at 575-572-5676 or Family Advocacy at 575- 572-7061. If you were wondering, I did not leave out #7 Learn something new, if you attend any of the above classes, number 7 is taken care of. "A desire to be in charge of our own lives, a need for control, is born in each of us. It is essential to our mental health, and our success, that we take control."- Robert Foster Bennett Additional resource information from all of Holloman's helping agencies can be found on http://www.holloman.af.mil/CAF.asp. Ensure success with your New Year's resolution with a little help from the experts.