Many of us will have woken up this morning thinking about the year gone by and what we'd like to achieve in 2011. Whether you have a formal list of New Year's Resolutions with goals and targets, or maybe just a general idea about what you'd like to improve in your life, local services are on hand to help you stay resolute throughout 2011.

Healthy body

The benefits of giving up smoking are well known, and New Year is a very common time to bin the cigarettes. We all know that dropping the habit saves money, reduces serious health risks, gets rid of fag breath for good and has beauty benefits too. It's not always easy to stop a long-held habit, however, which is why there are support services to help.

Islington residents can use NHS Islington's Smokefree support programme which is free of charge and provides professional advice, one-to-one counselling and group clinics. Call 0800 093 9030 or e-mail stopsmoking@islingtonpct.nhs.uk to find out more. Haringey also has a Smokefree programme -  check out the free drop-in clinic at the Hornsey Neighbourhood Health Centre here.

There are lots of ways to get fit in Finsbury Park, as we recently reported, but if you'd like to get in touch with your body in a gentler and more holistic way, try the drop-in yoga classes at Yoga Junction in Crouch End. Classes are available for all levels, from complete beginner to experienced practitioners, and cost either £9 or £10 (see prices on the timetable).

Healthy mind

The start of a new year is a great time to start thinking about learning a new skill, and now's the time to register for spring-term courses. Try your hand at pottery and ceramics, digital photography and Photoshop, web design, massage or reflexology at the Centre for Lifelong Learning, part of City and Islington College. Courses cost from £120 for 10 weeks,

Islington Arts Factory also offers a wide range of visual arts courses including pottery, photography, drawing and life drawing, jewellery, animation and puppetry - and there are plenty of dance classes for adults as well, if you've ever fancied trying your feet at samba, ballet, Egyptian or contemporary dance!

Residents receiving benefits can attend the Finsbury Park Learning Zone to gain valuable skills in literacy, numeracy, computer packages and employability. See a leaflet here.

If a challenge is what you need to stick to your resolutions, try one of the Marie Curie challenges to help you meet your goals. Running, cycling, singing, tennis, triathlons and tea parties are all events you could take part in to have fun and raise money for a leading UK charity. Check out the website for more information.

What are your resolutions this year? Do you expect to keep them? Let us know below!

Image: nasrulekram