Hold the champagne, the midnight kisses and the resolutions. The long anticipated “New Year” actually begins Jan. 20, and I am certain I will not be the only one to celebrate its arrival.

Although there will be no ball drop in New York’s Times Square, the evening has the potential to ignite energy and enthusiasm comparable to that of what Boston and other cities around the country call First Night.

There are some parallels between the eve of a new year and the night before President-elect Barack Obama steps into office. The most obvious are the resolutions we cast in what we hope will be a turning point of expectations.

Obama’s team has proposed perhaps the greatest resolution of all: change.

If you are like most people, you have already forgotten the champagne-infused resolutions you vowed to keep last week. Somewhere between the changing seasons, annual celebrations and daily rhythm of life, these promises get broken or simply lost in the shuffle of higher priorities.

But it would be difficult for Obama to cast aside his resolution of change in the coming year. From the flailing auto industry to desperate investors on Wall Street, the transition of power in the White House has not only triggered hope for a better year but has secured expectations that the new administration will be better than the last.

Democrats and Republicans alike can agree that there is much at stake in making such high promises, especially to a national audience.

When the party is done and the inauguration, which is expected to attract a record crowd of four million people, has concluded, the real challenges begin. The hope that spurs your personal New Year’s resolutions is similar to the kind responsible for initiating the president’s road map of change. The real test is applying this optimism and hope throughout the year with purpose and intention.

Sounds simple, right? If you are familiar with your own failed resolutions, or perhaps remember fictional character Bridget Jones’ annual goal to lose 20 pounds, you may identify with the reality of making idealistic goals.

Obama ran his campaign on the idea of change. In doing so he ignited a whirlwind of followers who have done more than cast their votes in favor of him and done more than gather together in Grant Park on election night. His followers have also believed in his promises – his resolution to make change more than a campaign slogan.

The stakes are undoubtedly high for Obama. The pressure for him to improve upon the work of previous administration is not the challenge.

Whether you celebrated the new year on Jan. 1 or anticipate its arrival on the 20th, be mindful that many New Year’s resolutions are not achieved in a short period of time. Before you cast criticism on Obama’s policies for being all talk and no action, consider the progress of your own personal resolutions. Remember that what you set out to accomplish in 2008 probably was forgotten as the pages of the calendar turned.

Improving the current state of the nation’s economy is going to take time, possibly more than a four-year presidential term. But the important thing is to remain focused, remain mindful of the resolutions we cast on the eve of Obama’s official arrival into office.

As we embark on the new year consider the reality of our ambitions. Remember that change is only good if it is in the right direction, and ‘yes we can’ only sounds convincing when it is followed by ‘yes we did.’

Finally, keep in mind that it’s the attitude with which you approach this new year that will ultimately determine how successful it is. Understand that being idealistic isn’t always implicative of being naive. Being idealistic implies optimism, and there is hardly a better tone to set for a new year and new president’s term in office than being hopeful.

– Rebecca Fenton can be reached at [email protected]