Girlfriends, are you making any New Years resolutions? If you’re looking to make some changes in 2009, enlist your girlfriends to help you stay on track. Use your next girls night to find a “Resolution Buddy”—a partner who will help you keep that promise to exercise five days a week, quit smoking, or be nicer to your husband. Here at GirlfriendCelebrations, we work on improving ourselves all year long. We’re always starting something new. However, the start of a new year *is* the perfect time to reflect on what needs to change in your life and start making that change with vigor. Read on to see what we’re doing and how you can find a buddy too:

The next time you gather your girlfriends, invite them to come prepared with one or two “resolutions” written down and calendars in hand. Read through your resolutions over coffee or cocktails. Similar themes will emerge. Surely one of the women you know has similar goals for fitness, spirituality, or self-improvement. Then, pair up and schedule some dates to either pursue your goals together, or to check in with your buddy on her progress. Make sure you have multiple, regular dates scheduled on your calendar before you leave the gathering. You’ll be much more successful in keeping your resolution when you “buddy up,” according to Kim Simpson of IResolveTo.com. She writes:
“Teaming up with a friend will help you to make a successful, rewarding journey. Here are just a few of the benefits of teaming up with a kindred spirit:

• You can share ideas, brainstorm, research, learn, implement, and grow together.
• You can help each other to build a long-range plan, and daily action plans that will guide you throughout your journey toward achieving your dream, resolution and daily goals.
• You can keep each other accountable by scheduling time to work on your resolution together. It is much harder to ‘give up’ or ‘quit’ when a buddy is relying on you, or when you have scheduled time get together.
• You can compare notes on progress, do weekly check-ins, make course corrections, and celebrate victories together. Rewards are as important as the actual ‘work’ for continued motivation, success and happiness.
• You can help each other to overcome obstacles, stay on track, and ensure that expectations are realistic and achievable.
• You can share a laugh, get silly and have fun. Making and keeping a resolution is hard work, but you should enjoy the journey, as well . . . Remember the old adage ‘All work and no play . . .’”

• Need some inspiration for creating your New Year’s resolution? Visit IResolveTo, which even sells t-shirts that allow you to wear your resolution so you can’t forget it! Or check out Amazon’s Top Ten Resolutions.

  So what’s our resolution? Among other things, Tina and I will be keeping each other on track with a resolution to improve our rear view! We’ve both decided to try the Bootcamp for Butts exercise and skincare program from Mamma Mio. We talk on the phone almost daily anyway, so it shouldn’t be too hard to check in with each other on whether we’ve done our daily skincare and 3-minute exercise routines. (Three minutes a day? We can do this!) If you want to try it with us, here’s a link to the Bootcamp for Butts Kit. And no, there won’t be any photos, but we will let you know how it’s working out. We’ll also be blogging about some other changes we’re making in the coming year, but we’ll tell you about that on another day.

  In the meantime, we’d love to hear about YOUR resolutions in the comments. Report in to us on how you are doing. We really mean it. And find your real-life resolution buddy this week. Remember, Girlfriends Make Life Better!™