Each New Year brings awesome blogging opportunities for self-help junkies like me. I love offering up tips for making positive change—especially when readers are committed. This year I’m going to take advantage of the resolution bandwagon and throw down some tips for bringing more happy into the new year.

Now is the perfect time to make powerful change—your willingness is at an all-time high.

Check out my top twelve happiness tips for 2012:

Tip 1: Let go of 2011 baggage.

It’s likely that 2011 brought many ups and downs. This year, resolve to focus on the good stuff. Choose to let go of what went wrong last year, and commit to what will go right this year. Be grateful and appreciate all that you have. When you appreciate what you do have, you create more of what you want. Stop focusing on lack and let the energy of gratitude create a more abundant life.

Tip 2: Change the conversation.

Make a resolution to change your dialogue about fear and negativity. When you think, talk, and act from a negative place, you attract negativity into your life. Commit to a new conversation. Begin the New Year talking and thinking about what you love about your life, rather than replaying the same old negative story. You might just be surprised by the results.

Tip 3: Give.

Being altruistic not only benefits the person you’re helping but greatly enhances your own life, too. This year, commit to the mantra “How can I give?” rather than “How can I get?” Giving produces endorphins, which make you feel great! Plus, giving to others helps you get out of your own way. When you focus on giving you can stop focusing on what you’re not getting.

Tip 4: Take a ME break.

Commit to a ME break at least once a week. Take time out to focus on yourself. This is a powerful habit to create early in the year. Need some suggestions? Take a long yoga class, prepare a nice meal for yourself, or create an evening ritual. One of my favorite ways to take a ME break in the evening is to give myself a facial.

Tip 5: Get naked!

This year, make a commitment to be authentic. Get naked with your truth, offering the world your greatest gift: your authentic self. Begin a practice of being yourself on dates, in the office, or even in your home. We all thrive on true connection. So this year, get naked with your truth. Don’t deprive the world of your authentic gifts. Even if it feels uncomfortable at first—go with it—you’ll feel liberated in no time.

Tip 6: Get creative.

This year, I commit to spend more time painting. This creative hobby takes me out of my daily patterns and ignites my inner spirit. Pledge to engage in a creative project as often as possible. You’ll find that time spent in creativity heightens your happiness, and gives you more energy for the other areas of your life.

Tip 7: Do innovative exercise.

Each New Year, millions resolve to hit the gym and lose weight. This year, make your physical resolutions fun! Rather than locking yourself up in the gym for days, find cool ways to shed the pounds. I am a huge fan of Hoopnotic, a rockin’ workout with a Hula-Hoop. When I Hula-Hooped as a kid, it was just a fun thing to do. I never would’ve imagined doing it as a killer (and totally addictive) workout.

Tip 8: Practice the F-word.

Carrying resentments into the New Year will only recreate the patterns from years prior. This year, vow to let go of resentments by practicing the F-word and forgive. Become conscious of whom you need to forgive (including yourself) and be willing to let go of your resentment and turn it over daily. Each morning when you wake up, set the intention to forgive. This daily intention will ignite a consciousness of forgiveness and provide you with the necessary tools to allow the F-word process to set in.

Tip 9: Eat mindfully.

To keep your Spirit Junkie mentality intact, you must feed your soul superfoods. This New Year I’ve committed to kicking the coffee. Rather than go nuts trying to eliminate everything bad in your diet, keep it simple and choose one thing to let go of. My spiritual running buddy Kris Carr offers amazing tips for cleaning up your palate in her book Crazy Sexy Diet. Let Kris’s book inspire you to keep it simple and wholesome. There’s no need to kick it all at once. Small shifts create powerful change.

Tip 10: Be Authentic.

Rather than conform to what you think the world wants you to be, in 2012, serve the world more of YOU. Make a New Year’s resolution to be more authentic. When you share your truth with the world, your genuine gifts shine through. Plus your authenticity gives others the chance to be truthful, too!

Tip 11: Sit back and receive.

I work hard to balance my go-getter mentality with my sit-back-and-RECEIVE approach to life. This year, welcome stillness and receptivity. Through a daily meditation practice, you can begin to transform your need to control outcomes and learn to sit back and receive. You’ll come to understand that stillness is sometimes the greatest action. Begin a meditation practice today with one of my FREE Spirit Junkie guided meditations. CLICK HERE to download.

Tip 12: Expect miracles.

Kick off the New Year with a miracle mindset. Begin each day with a prayer for peace and happiness. Say out-loud or to yourself: “Thank you, inner guide, for reminding me of all the love and light in my life. I welcome positive support throughout this day. I expect miracles.” This daily prayer will jump-start your day with a miracle mindset and awaken your consciousness to the greatness around you.

Incorporate these twelve tips into your daily practices and enjoy the positive results. Trust that the Universe has your back, expect miracles, and be happy!

Featured in the New York Times Sunday Styles section as “a new role model,” motivational speaker, life coach, and author Gabrielle Bernstein is making her mark. Expanding the lexicon for the next generation of spiritual seekers, Gabrielle is the #1 bestselling author of the book, Add More ~ing to Your Life, A Hip Guide to Happiness. In September 2011 Gabrielle launched her second book, Spirit Junkie, A Radical Road to Self-Love and Miracles. In 2008 she launched her social networking site HerFuture.com for young women to find mentors.