“A single woman’s happiness depends partly on whether she can carry herself financially … so she can do the things she wants to do,” says Pepper Schwartz, PhD, University of Washington, Seattle.  Be ready to get financially independent by being in your own top form for 2011!

Know what you own

The cheapest way to find new clothes is to clean out your closet!  Once you really know what you own, you’ll buy less and if you buy, do it more thoughtfully.  Megan, a 40 something Madison, WI teacher shares her success, “I finally went through my closet, stuff in storage and even some clothes I’d left at my mother’s—and guess what? I owned threemid-length kelly green wool coats.  Now I’ll never waste money again!”

Exercise 3x/week

Narla, a 32 year old library science PhD candidate in Portland, shows how you don’t need to spend on a gym membership to get serious.  “I just try to walk everywhere now and it didn’t cost me anything to be in the best shape ever–while I’m writing my thesis!”  When it’s safe, park farther and walk.  Walk home or part-way home to the subway.  Take the stairs.  Just make sure that three times a week, your booty moves for your mental and physical health.

Get your veggies.

Drink them, eat them in soup or stock up on fruit or veg bars to snack on at work and combat the 3pm sugar lows.  Sophie, a 37 year old photographer from Miami was told she had the health of an 75 year old because of her limited diet. “At my last checkup, I assumed I was healthy because I’m thin. Turns out I have pre-osteoporosis probably because of my diet cola addiction and high blood pressure.  By adding different vegetables over the past year I’m able to manage my blood pressure without medication.”

Stop smoking!

Lisa, a 30 year old marketer from outside Scottsdale finally quit and has never felt better.  “I never thought I’d be able to quit, but that book helped me 100%.  I can hike and am way more active than I ever was before.  I’m finally a healthy non-smoker.”  Get an anti-smoking buddy with whom you can go for a quick walk, get your spiritual leader involved, join a quit group online, ask your doctor about quit smoking meds that are right for you—get help and get it done.

Get (a) physical.

Make sure you get a pap test, mammogram/ultrasound, do your self check to know the baseline of your breasts and if they change, check your thyroid (TSH, free T3 & free T4), cholesterol and iron in your blood test to make sure all systems are a go. “I’d been traveling for four years and blamed my fatigue on that,” 41 year old biologist Jen from Winston-Salem admits. “Evidently was borderline hypothyroid.  Just the lowest dose of Synthroid and I’m back to my normal weight and have my ‘old’ energy back again.”

Getting enough sleep, never stop learning, maintain close relationships with friends and if you choose family, and don’t forget to floss!  It’s all important–you deserve to be ready for all the fun and fulfilling experiences in your life.