This year is coming to a close, so as I do every year around this time, I make New Year’s Resolutions. A lot of people don’t make resolutions for the new year, and a lot of people make resolutions that they don’t keep. But lately, I usually make resolutions for the next upcoming year. As I’ve said in the past, keeping any resolutions you make is nice, but when you make resolutions you’re expressing to yourself a desire to change something about yourself, or accepting a new challenge. If you succeed, great — but jut making the effort is important, too.
So I make resolutions because I do — and over the years, I’ve tried to make them more realistic and achievable. Sometimes when I don’t keep a resolution (usually for reasons beyond my control) I repeat it for the next year and give it another try. That’ll probably be the case again this year.
So for 2024, I do resolve:
• I resolve to think about becoming more fit, by driving by the Wellness Center every week.
I’ve made this resolution in past years and for some reason, I’ve never achieved my goal. This year I’m going to put renewed effort into it and I have high hopes for success.
• I vow to eat more ice cream.
It appears to me that ice cream contains a lot of healthy ingredients, so this seems like an admirable resolution. I know it doesn’t sound that hard, but I’m pretty sure there will be plenty of, as yet, unseen challenges.
• I vow to learn pig latin and speak only in that language on all appropriate occasions.
I’ve been to a lot of foreign countries and know a few words in lots of languages, but I consider pig latin to be mostly American, and I think being familiar with it would be very patriotic.
• I vow to transform my life into a permanent vacation.
This may be my toughest resolution. I know some people think I’ve already accomplished this many times over, but even though I may look like I’m on vacation, I’m very physically or mentally active almost all the time.
• I resolve to work “time will tell” into a conversation at least once a week.
• And finally, I once again resolve to become really good at procrastination.
Even though I’ve tried this one before, I’m determined to achieve my goal this time.
So there you have it — once again my resolve to make me a better person and the world a better place.
Making resolutions to begin the new year is a tradition that goes back thousands of years — it’s believed to have first been practiced by the ancient Babylonians. So I’m in good company — a lot of us think resolutions are important. I encourage everyone to resolve to do better in 2024. And don’t worry — the second Friday in January is recognized as “Quitters Day,” which is when most people give up on their resolutions. So if you can’t keep your resolutions — you’ve got an out, but it’s ok to just keep trying!
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