Try something different this year. Take some time to think through your plan before jumping into action. Here are some guidelines that can help.

1. Downstream Self Imagine a vital, successful, and grateful you five years in future looking back and beaming with pride at your foresight. What are you grateful for? What seeds that you planted are now flourishing? What are you looking forward to in 2008? What are you glad you started in 2003?

2. Year in Review Where have you been over past year? Look at all aspects of your life-- work, recreation, friends and family, your environment. What made you happy? What successes can you build on? What were qualities that made them successful?

3. Brainstorm Now make a list of all goals you can think of. Remember rules of brainstorming-- all ideas count, repetition is okay, no judgment, repetition is okay, keep going when you come to a lull. You can prime pump with old standbys-- eat better, get more exercise, floss regularly, then add some wild ones-- try skydiving, learn to tap dance. Go for at least 26.

4. Who Cares Take a look at list and ask yourself which ones matter and to whom. Is it something you really care about or is there a big should attached to it? Whose voice is telling you it's important?

Happiness is similar. Everyone wants to be happy, but not everyone knows how to recognize and stay with it; they're always looking for more. The search for happiness is lost when it becomes an insatiable pursuit for getting more.

The difference between two is like difference between savouring and lingering over sweetness and flavour of a mango, and quickly gobbling it up before eating next sweet. The pursuit becomes focus, rather than experience or satisfaction that comes from what we do have.

This endless pursuit for happiness can consume us for all of our lives. We may think that once we have more money, a relationship, or that perfect job we'll be happy, yet when we get there we find it's not what we'd hoped for, or we don't take time to really enjoy it.

There is always something more to be pursued, bought, owned, done, that we rarely enjoy what is in front of us. Even search for spirituality is pursued in this manner. People go from spiritual leader to leader searching for meaning, often going as far as India to find fulfilment.

The pattern is easily recognizable, and we can all fall into it with thoughts like "when I do...own...have...get...go to... I'll be happy", or "if only...would happen." But truth is once whatever is sought after is obtained, we're off looking for next thing. We rarely stop and simply enjoy what is happening right now or fully appreciate what we have.