Making New Year’s resolutions is an ancient tradition practiced by the Babylonians and the Romans and continued by many of us. The top ten are: eat healthier, exercise more, save money, learn something new, let go of nasty habits, read more, change jobs, drink less, spend more time with family and friends, get organized.
As “Auld Lange Syne” fades into the background for another year, you may find your good intentions doing the same thing. Ten tips for continuing are: be realistic, plan ahead, outline your plan, make a pros and cons list, talk about it, reward yourself, track your progress, don’t beat yourself up, stick to it, keep trying.
Change is difficult. Don’t try to create a new person in one fell swoop. One thing at a time is a good rule. For example, if you’re trying to eat healthier, you may not be saving money but spending more at the groery store. If you start a new job, you may have less time to spend with relatives and friends for a while. A few things can work together. If your quitting smoking, increasing your exercise by taking long walks could help.
This blog was my resolution two years ago. It took until mid-March to make it happen and I’m still trying to figure out some of the mechanics involved. Writing’s fun. Facts I need such as my two top ten lists printed above are easy to find on the internet. Type in my question and a couple clicks give me an immediate answer. In the old days, I had to spend half-an-hour driving to the Rockford Library and hoping the librarian could find the right book for the answer. Phone inquiries were never as fruitful as in-person requests.
Have you made any New Year’s resolutions?
I didn’t make any resolutions this year. In the past, I always said I wanted to lose weight, exercise more & eat less. They were never achieved so now I don’t bother.