YEAR, NEW ME," SEEING THE NEW YEAR AS A TIME FOR RENEWAL. I LIKE TO TALK ABOUT A RELAUNCH! BUT LESS THAN TWO WEEKS INTO 2023, MANY PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY GIVEN UP ON THEIR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS. IN FACT, THERE’S SOMETHING CALLED NATIONAL QUITTERS’ DAY. IT WAS ON JANUARY 13TH. THAT DATE IS BASED ON RESEARCH FROM STRAVA, A SOCIAL NETWORK FOR ATHLETES. WHAT IF THERE WERE TOOLS TO MAKE SURE YOU STICK TO YOUR GOALS AND FOLLOW THROUGH ON YOUR ASPIRATIONS? MARIKO BENNETT IS A STRATEGIST, LIFE COACH, AND AUTHOR OF "THE BLUEPRINT TO MANIFEST YOUR DREAMS." MARIKO BENNETT, NICE TO TALK TO YOU. SO NEW YEAR’S IS MY FAVORITE HOLIDAY, LITERALLY. AND I MAKE EASILY 30, MAYBE MORE, RESOLUTIONS EVERY SINGLE YEAR. AND I’D SAY MY RATE OF SUCCESS IS DECENT-ISH. IS 30 TOO MANY, DO YOU THINK? WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE TO ME, FOR EXAMPLE, TO MAKING SURE THAT I CAN ACTUALLY ACHIEVE ALL THE THINGS THAT I’M TRYING TO DO ON MY LIST? MARIKO: IS 30 TOO MUCH? ABSOLUTELY! NO, WE’RE NOT GOING DO 30. I LOOK AT A RESOLUTION LIKE I’M SETTING AN INTENTION, BUT WHEN I WANT TO MANIFEST SOMETHING, I HAVE A PROCESS FOR IT. SO, YOU LOOK AT THE SEVEN LIFE FOCUS AREAS -- PHYSICAL BODY, MINDSET, RELATIONSHIPS, PROFESSIONAL, FINANCIAL, SOCIAL, AND SPIRITUAL. AND SO, WHEN I LOOK AT THAT, THAT’S LIKE WHOLE BODY WELL-BEING ALL OF LIFE. MANIFESTING IS WHEN YOU’RE ACTUALLY HAVE A VISION, AND YOU ACTUALLY BEGIN TO IMPLEMENT IT IN YOUR LIFE. THAT VISION COMES TO LIFE. SOLEDAD: HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO TURN YOUR RESOLUTION OR YOUR DREAM INTO AN ACTUAL HABIT? LIKE HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE GYM BEFORE YOU’RE LIKE, YEP, I CAN TAKE THIS OFF MY LIST BECAUSE NOW I LOVE MY TRAINER. I RUN TO GO MEET HIM. IT’S -- IT’S DONE. MARIKO: OH, MAN, IT’S A LIFESTYLE. I HAD PHYSICAL BODY, HIT ALL OF THE GOALS, LOOKED GREAT. AND THEN GUESS WHAT? LIFE HAPPENS. AND I FELL OFF THE BANDWAGON FOR A FEW MONTHS. BUT THE THING IS, IF YOU HAVE A DREAM AND A VISION FOR YOURSELF THAT YOU WANT TO MANIFEST, IT’S OKAY TO REST. SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO PUT IT DOWN. BUT WHEN YOU’RE CHECKING IN ON IT, YOU REMEMBER TO PICK IT BACK UP. SOLEDAD: IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU’RE SAYING YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO, LIKE, SIT DOWN AND DAILY WORK ON THE GOALS YOU WANT TO GET TO, WHICH IS WHY 30 IS PROBABLY TOO MANY. MARIKO: THAT’S EXACTLY RIGHT, 100%. YOU HAVE TO CONTINUE TO TRACK IT. A LOT OF TIMES WE’LL HAVE GOALS IN AREAS THAT AREN’T NATURAL FOR US. IT’S MORE DIFFICULT FOR US TO ACHIEVE THEM. AND THAT’S WHY THEY ARE A GOAL, AND THAT’S WHY WE HAVE TO WORK ON THEM. SOLEDAD: HAVE YOU HAVE YOU FOUND THAT PEOPLE’S RESOLUTIONS OR THEIR VISIONS FOR THEIR LIVES HAVE CHANGED SINCE THE PANDEMIC? MARIKO: SOME PEOPLE DID HAVE TO PIVOT, AND YES, BECAUSE CERTAIN THINGS THAT MATTERED BEFORE PRE-PANDEMIC -- IT CHANGED. YOU KNOW, WE ALL GOT INTO PHYSICAL BODY. FOLKS WERE LIKE, LET ME GET MY MINDSET TOGETHER, LET ME GET MY BODY TOGETHER. AND SO I DEFINITELY SAW AN INTAKE THERE. SOLEDAD: WHAT IS THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT KILLS YOUR CHANCES OF BEING SUCCESSFUL IN RESOLUTION? MARIKO: QUITTING AND SELF-DOUBT. I’M A PERFECTIONIST. AND SO THAT HELD ME BACK, OFTENTIMES. SO, ONE OF MY AFFIRMATIONS, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE YOU HAVE TO AFFIRM YOURSELF -- SOMETIMES, YOU HAVE TO TELL YOURSELF, "I CAN DO THIS." BUT BECAUSE I’M A PERFECTIONIST, I TOLD MYSELF, "I WILL NOT LET PRETTY AND PERFECT GET IN THE WAY OF MY PROGRESS." SOLEDAD: MARIKO BENNETT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ADVICE. I APPRECIATE IT. I’M FEELING VERY STRONG NOW GOING INTO THE NEW YEAR WITH MY RESOLUTIONS. MARIKO: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. IT WAS AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE