Happy New Year! Welcome to that time of year when you have a blank slate and can set important goals.

Is this where priorities reveal themselves? In many instances, yes.

Maybe you’ve just enjoyed the excess of holiday meals, and now you have a renewed energy to put your health and your waistline back on track.

Or you’ve relished the days with your friends and family, and now you want to find a way to have more of that quality time in your life year-round instead of year-end.

And of course you’ve just given out gifts. Now you have those bills to anticipate with a question of how to pay for it all.

These examples don’t apply to everyone. But they do apply to many, fueling all kinds of popular New Year’s resolutions across society. Everyone wants to eat healthy, get a better job, and earn more money. Then maybe, just maybe, we’ll all find true happiness, right?

So why do many people fall victim to one of the Top 10 Commonly Broken New Year’s Resolutions instead?

Material and superficial goals don’t bring lasting happiness. Resolve to put values first.

Intentions may be in the right place. But what people really need to investigate are the underlying things that bring happiness.

Holiday meals are delicious. People gathered and ate…and ate…and ate. But the real thing we might be cherishing is the time we spent with family around the dinner table instead of eating on the run, or prioritizing things less important than a quality meal with the people we love most. Make get-togethers the norm rather than the exception this New Year and the real overindulging you might experience is the great company you keep instead of seasonal gigantic dinners.

The end of vacation might mean a return to the daily grind. But I believe that people are happiest when they have a passion for what they do. Don’t just think about a new job in the New Year. Think about following your passion. Do what you love, and you will love what you do. Perhaps you can even be your own boss. If you don’t like your career, you might surprise yourself with your own ability to change that.

Don’t judge a gift by its price tag. The real joy of the gift-giving season is not the gift, but the act of giving. Resolve to make giving a regular activity in the New Year. The value of showing you care, even when no price is involved, has rewards that are priceless. And just imagine the financial freedom that provides at the same time.

I hope as people embark on New Year’s resolutions they get to the heart of what they want in life. The important thing is to define your values and live and lead with those values, and the New Year may exceed expectations.

So, set attainable goals. Don’t get discouraged. Talk to others for support. These things can help you stick to your resolution. And you may find your best authentic self in the New Year.