New Year’s Resolution #4: Move you...

We all make the resolution at the beginning of the year to exercise more — don’t we?

I know I do.

And rarely does it make any difference in my life.

This past year was a little different, though. And I hope to keep it up in the 2012.

Anyone who knows me knows I’m pretty much the last person to give advice about exercise. But for some reason this past year I started walking and then, recently, with winter around the corner, I joined a gym.

What was key to my success (so far! this could change at any time!) was to have pretty low and flexible expectations for myself. Instead of resolving to exercise six times a week for an hour each time, I just tried to get out and walk as fast as I could for as long as I wanted. Usually it wasn’t even that much!

The effect has been great for me. I feel much more energetic and happier as a result. (And I’m told I look better, so maybe that’s true, too.)

So I guess the lesson is to start small and be reasonable about what you can accomplish. Those of us with work and family commitments need to try to squeeze in what we can, when we can — and then congratulate ourselves making such efforts to be kind to our bodies.

That in a nutshell is my exercise resolution for 2012.

What’s yours?

New Year’s Resolution #3: Take a r...

Are you a cautious person?

I know I am. Someone I used to work with often teased me for being risk- and change-averse. And it’s true.

In matters of personal style, though, I often think it makes sense to throw caution to the wind. Here’s how I look at it. What if you were to try something different — two colors (or three!) together. Or the addition of a jacket with an outfit you’ve never worn that way. Or, say, a shoe that doesn’t “match” the rest of your outfit but that pleases you nonetheless in that combination.

Really — what’s the worst that could happen? Will people line up in the street to jeer you? Will you lose your job, your dignity ….? Of course not!

So why are we so afraid to take risks? What’s the worst that could happen? We all make mistakes — it’s just that in this arena, our mistakes only last as long as it takes to get back home and change our clothes.

But on the up side — when we take those risks, we sometimes discover things about ourselves we never knew before.

Like, for instance, that we look awesome in that particular shade of green. That our red shoe looks amazing with our purple dress — and everyone seems to agree. Or we look good in that kind of hat, something we’ve never worn. I often hear a complaint from my clients that they have no style — and my standard response is that they simply need to be a little less careful, to add that something extra to their outfit — even if they’re a littl unsure about it.

So next year, let’s all resolve to take a few more risks.

Try a new hairstyle (it will grow back!) or highlights. Go crazy with nail color. Add a layer or an accessory to your outfit before walking out the door. Buy a handbag in a … gasp! … color! And please, let me know how your risk-taking works!

(Note: Images are, from top, from B. Jones Style, Style & Pepper, and Fashion for Nerds — personal style blogs by three fantastically creative women.)

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