Sunday marks the beginning of a new year and the day most of us make resolutions.

The idea is to start the new year with a fresh outlook, fresh determination and fresh goals.

A crucial part of starting fresh is leaving old habits behind. Often we carry our failures or disappointments around like rocks in a bag. They weigh us down, make us lethargic and sap our motivation.

A good way to get rid of this baggage is with a simple ritual. Write down all the negative patterns that made you feel stuck in 2011. Write down disappointments, shortcomings, anything that made you feel heavy and disappointed.

Then take a match and burn the paper in a fireplace or other fireproof container, being mindful that you are saying goodbye to the negatives and clearing space for new hopes, ideas and opportunities.

Find a new dream • Now there's room for new goals. Unfortunately, most people associate the term "goal" with weighty, serious topics. If you fall into that category, simply forgo the word "goal" and instead make a "dream" for this year. What do you want to do to make yourself a fitter, happier person?

It's extremely important to set specific dreams for the long and short term.

The long-term dream should be the one that is out there in the distance, such as "I want to lose 10 pounds by Memorial Day," or "I want to run a marathon in the spring." Make the dream meaningful, so you will work for it and dedicate yourself to it.

Write it down • Once you've decided on a dream that is truly yours and that you can claim as your own, write it down and post it where you will see it every day.

Then, make short-term dreams to keep you on track and to act as measuring sticks toward the big prize.

While these steps are small, they are the ones most crucial to keeping you on track. Make as many as you need to keep you moving forward. If you have a yearlong dream, make weekly and monthly checkpoints for yourself.

If you don't hit the checkpoint, don't get discouraged, just figure out where you fell short and determine how you can improve before the next checkpoint.

Finally, celebrate your successes — big and small.

Taking things too seriously can take the joy out of improving. Life, after all, should be fun; that is a great dream for everyone!

Lya Wodraska is a certified CHEK Practitioner and Holistic Lifestyle Coach. E-mail her at Lwodraska@sltrib.com

Facebook: lyatribuneTwitter: @LyaWodraska