Well, Christmas is gone (although I hope the Christmas spirit is not), and the end of 2006 is near.

We're all used to New Year's resolutions; we make plans, lists of goals, promises and such. And year after year, we end up overwhelmed and frustrated with the amount of pressure we've put on ourselves.

Wouldn't it be better to simplify this? Here's the short list I've wrote, trying to be as realistic as I possibly can.

Every item can go from "really simple" to "life-changing", depending on how you choose to undertake it.

The suggestions under each item are just prompts; don't get stuck with them. Let your imagination and your desires flow, and see where they take you!

1 - Drop a Bad Habit

Biting your nails, eating junk food, smoking, fighting, drinking, working too much, sleeping too little...

2 - Acquire a Good Habit

Take good care of yourself, exercise, eat healthy, read good books, relax...

3 - Learn Something New

Languages, dance, cooking, handcrafting, mechanics, creative writing, history, genealogy...

4 - Experiment a Different Flavor/Taste

Anything you haven't tried before; just once, or as often as you feel like...

5 - Overcome a Fear

Fear of highs, of spiders, of taking risks, of death, of failure, of ending up lonely...

6 - Pursue a Dream

It doesn't matter how far you are from your dream; just take the first step towards it, and you'll be on your way...

7 - Make a New Friend

Say hello to your neighbor, give your co-worker a cup of coffee, invite your virtual friend for dinner, call an old friend with whom you've lost contact...

8 - Do Something to Change the World

Recycle, donate money or work to charity, speak (or blog) for human rights, participate in ecological movements, plant a tree, adopt a pet...

9 - Say "I Love You" More Often

Every day, twice a week, as often as you can...Just say it!

10 - For the first time, actually accomplish all items listed in your New Year's Resolution List.

Don't panic: there are only ten of them, and you have twelve months! Besides, you choose the difficulty level of each one, remember? With a little effort, you'll be able to come back, on December 2007, and tell me you've done it!

Good luck!