The New Year celebration is a time-honored tradition that brings resolutions at each annual reset. New Year's resolutions are usually made with good intentions but fade as time passes. About 60% of us make resolutions, but only about 8% follow them through. The top New Year's resolutions include weight loss, exercise, saving money, learning a new skill, quitting smoking, reading more, finding another job, drinking less, drinking more water, getting organized and spending more time with family and friends. Nothing on the list mentions anything about personal me time and pampering yourself.

As a fitness trainer, I advocate for healthy eating, exercise and lifestyle. Lifestyle, however, also has to do with taking time for ourselves and personal indulgence. The holidays especially are a go, go, go, do, do, do. The holiday season is satisfying with the grand celebrations, charitable events, parties, family gatherings, fabulous meals and decorating. Still, the time spent on all of this may have left you feeling tired. Me-time is an essential part of well-being, and there is nothing wrong with feeling the need to crank it down a bit and do something for yourself without feeling guilty. Mental health is just as important as physical. A friend of mine has a one-liner; she often says, "Everyone has the same twenty-four hours in a day, and you cannot add to that period." It took a long time for me not to feel guilty about doing something for myself and to say no. It is usual for us to volunteer, be on committees, spend time with friends and it is easy for schedules to fill. It can be hard to say no to an increasingly busy schedule and find time to squeeze in one more thing. Saying no is better with a straightforward approach; don't make excuses. It can seem that one more thing will lead to an avalanche of responsibility to the point that you feel overwhelmed. It is unfair to you and those involved because quality is better than quantity when you overextend yourself. How often have you said, I do not know why I am doing this because I do not have the time. This year take your time to think about the commitment involved and ask questions.

We all need time for ourselves, and while what everyone likes to do varies, everyone's preferences are equally important. Your me-time may be a hobby, activity, going to lunch or shopping with friends. My indulgences are occasional spa visits. For me, there is nothing like a great facial, massage or pedicure. The personal time, relaxation, music and attentive pampering throw me in the ultimate state of relaxation with no thoughts of the outside world for an hour.

Make your resolutions — create a healthier you. Set small attainable goals and reward yourself when you reach them. Be involved with organizations, committees, fundraisers but don't feel you have to be involved in all of them. Remember to take me-time and make sure you set that time aside. It helps to have a schedule in front of you when making your decisions. Good decisions create less stress for you. Learn the art of saying no without feeling bad about it. You are not letting someone down if something is not a good fit, and you do not have to make excuses.

Live, love life, keep moving and remember you cannot squeeze more than twenty-four hours into a day.