The New Year offers the hope of a fresh start and new beginnings. If you've been spending the past few weeks with family and loved ones chances are you've given your all to ensure they've had the perfect Christmas. While it's undoubtedly been a rewarding experience, now it's time to start thinking about yourself and what you want to get out of the coming year. While it's impossible to map our lives out too far into the future, we tend to regard this time of year as a turning point and try to imagine how we might do things differently or expand on what we've already been trying to achieve. Perhaps like many of us you have a mantra of different resolutions which you chant at the beginning of each year - I must lose weight/get up earlier/have a housework routine/get fit - which within a few days are all but forgotten.

This year could be different. If you try to remember that just the smallest change in your life could have a knock-on effect and expand and alter so many other areas of your life. The boost you would get from, say, losing a few pounds in weight could be enough to encourage you to start walking the kids to school each day or joining that gym that you've been too embarrassed to even look around.

The most important thing to do is to identify exactly what it is you want to change or improve upon and look at that obvious first small step that can make that happen. If you're always late for work set the alarm clock 15 minutes earlier, if you're concerned about your spending habits buy a notebook and write down everything you spend in a week.

If you've always wanted to go on a once-in-a-lifetime gap break but have been too frightened to go it alone have a look at one of the many working abroad volunteer charities on the internet that are always crying out for extra help and skills in far flung places across the globe.

Or perhaps you've always dreamed of starting your own business but don't want to take the risk on your own. Talk to friends and see if anyone has the same vision and desire to change direction as you. They say two heads are better than one and you will be able to support each other if one of your children is sick and unable to go to school or while you go on holiday.

Whatever it is you want and need to do to get going just remember that first small step will feel huge and make you feel you've really made a commitment. Remember too that you will have bad days when things aren't going to plan. But just visualise your end goal and as you achieve that first small step find another one that will move you closer towards your dream. You'll soon be building a new and more rewarding life for you and your family