1. First and most important of them all, is the attitude to how you approach your new life. Realize that from this point on, you start with a clean slate. Whatever has happened before no longer matters. The past is the past, it has been and gone so leave it behind you. Now is the time for a fresh start. Accept that whatever happens from this day forward is your responsibility. It's solely up to you to take the necessary action to create the changes you desire. A new, happy, exciting chapter is about to unfold. No going back!

2. Change the way you start each new day. Rise one hour earlier and go for a walk, a swim or workout. You could also listen to a motivational audio CD, checkout www.nightingale-conant.com for details. Another good idea is to vary the breakfast meal each day: cereal, yoghurt, fruit, toast, continental, so that breakfast doesn't become a mundane routine.

3. Fancy a change of image? If you're not sure about the styles and colors that suit you best, visit an image consultant. Use Yellow Pages to find one in your area. You could also have a change of hairstyle, have a tattoo, a body piercing or get a tan. But try not to overdo it, either in the sun or on a sunbed.

4. Drop any destructive habits. Smoking, excessive drinking, junk food are the obvious ones, but there's other habits that can seriously restrict your quality of life. Procrastination - continually delaying taking action - is one. Resolve to take action to bring about changes you want. Watching too much television is another. Television is the biggest thief you will encounter in your life. If you let it, television will rob you of over 100 non-productive hours every month. Control how much TV you watch and do something more productive instead.

5. Develop an appetite for learning and start a course. There's hundreds to choose from: Computers, languages, design, crafts, art, astronomy, psychology, literature, technology I could be here all day with subjects! As well as courses in schools and colleges in your locale, you'll also find thousands of courses being run over the Internet. Whatever subject you're interested in, you will find a course for it online. However, if you can attend a course at a school or college, you'll get out of your home and you'll meet new people. And there's nothing to stop you doing both, especially now that you've restricted the amount of TV you watch! An extension of this is to start a new hobby: learn to play a musical instrument, stamp collecting, bird-watching, model railways, amateur dramatics, renovate a car or a house, you get the idea I'm sure!

Give these 5 a try over the next month, there'll be five more exciting ideas for you to continue your regeneration next month!