Zen Habits, one of my favorite e-mail newsletters, offered guidance this week on making New Year’s resolutions using the Six Changes Method.
Here’s how it works:

1. Pick 6 habits for 2010.
2. Pick 1 of the 6 habits to start with.
3. Commit as publicly as possible to creating this new habit in 2 months.
4. Break the habit into 8 baby steps, starting with a ridiculously easy step. Example: if you want to floss, the first step is just to get out a piece of floss at the same time each night.
5. Choose a trigger for your habit – something already in your routine that will immediately precede the habit. Examples: eating breakfast, brushing your teeth, showering, waking up, arriving at the office, leaving the office, getting home in the evening.
6. Do the 1st, really easy baby step for one week, right after the trigger. Post your progress publicly. (Read more.)
7. Each week, move on to a slightly harder step. You’ll want to progress faster, but don’t. You’re building a new habit. Repeat this until you’ve done 8 weeks.

You now have a new habit! Commit to Habit No. 2 and repeat the process.

You can read more, including why big, vague resolutions don’t work and why author Leo Babauta thinks six changes can by clicking here.
And check out Leo’s http://6changes.com/ for more moral support.
If you were going to make six changes to your life, what would they be? If you practiced each for two months with daily focus, do you think you could make them stick?
This week I’m blogging about making — and keeping — resolutions.

• Saturday I blogged about why you should make goals and write them down.
• Sunday’s post was about breaking big goals down into mini goals and rewarding yourself for achieving them.
• Monday was what makes resolutions achievable
• Tuesday was why maybe it’s better to call them goals, so you celebrate your progress instead of lamenting your failure