(BLACK PR WIRE) New Year's Eve is the traditional time to make resolutions for the upcoming year – whether you’re at home watching the ball drop in Times Square or out partying with family and friends at the hippest and hottest spots.

When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, many Americans plan to start the New Year with the best intentions, citing weight loss and getting more exercise as their key areas of focus. According to Duke Health Psychologist Ruth Quillian Wolever, Ph.D., clinic director at Duke's Center for Integrative Medicine, however, these are usually the most unsuccessful.

Many African-Americans, and Caucasians as well, are also guilty of making too many resolutions or ones that are bound to fail – like “I resolve to never lose my temper again.”

"I think it's really important that people pick something that's important to them and will be useful to them, but also that they are ready to explore," said Wolever. "So, to set a goal that's not something you truly want to do, you're setting yourself up for failure."

How can you keep your New Year’s Resolutions this year? Research indicates that you should keep your list short, be realistic, make resolutions to improve yourself, pattern your resolutions on Biblical principles, pray before starting, and don’t give up.

These are just a few solutions to keeping your new year’s resolutions – from losing weight to becoming an entrepreneur, to improving your work performance to improving your relationships.