Resolutions: Stuff I Should Already Be Doing (The Short List) (12/29)

December 29th

Resolutions: There are just two days left in this year, so what are your resolutions for 2012? What makes you think you’ll stick with it, or them, this year? Or, are you a naysayer of resolutions? 

I've never been one for successful resolutions.

Once, I decided I would have a novel written by the end of the year. That was twelve years ago. 

Then, there was the year I decided I would go to the gym four days a week for the entire year. Then, four days into the year I was hit with a nasty cold flu-virus-something and couldn't go to the gym at all!

When I think of the word "resolutions," I think of the phrase, "I resolve to."

Whenever something really disappointing happens at work, I'll say, "I  resolve to do" and then fill in the rest with something really important about how to make my abilities better.

When a friendship goes awry or a conversation sour, I'll say, "I resolve to listen more and talk less." Yet, even that doesn't seem to happen. Although, I do think that I am listening more.

As much as I would want to agree with young Calvin, I think there is some point to resolutions. The downside is that it's attached to a date on the calendar, when it should just come to us when we know we can do it. 

It seems to me that resolutions are often like revolutions. We are constantly coming up with them to better ourselves and the society we have around us. 

Once, I said I'd watch less television and use less of the Internet. I work in television news and a good percentage of my job has to do with social media. Who was I kidding?

I think it's best to start small. What are some simple resolutions? They're things that you don't necessarily have to do everyday, but behaviors you can gradually adopt. These, at least for me, are ones that I'm either planning to continue to do or hope to do. I'll make every effort to do them.

1. Volunteer
2. Donate Blood (you'll be surprised at how many people never have, even if they medically can)
3. Become an Organ Donor (if you can)
4. Smile more often and say hello
5. Say a prayer, or go to Church, and find some faith
6. Say "Please," and "Thank You" (Because, sadly, many of us failed that)
7. Pick up the phone and call someone once-in-awhile. (I promise you, they would like to talk with you)
8. Write a handwritten note and send it in the mail
9. Put myself in someone else's shoes (Or, in other words, shift my perspective once-in-a-while)
10. And finally, the one thing that we can all do, that I sought out to do last year, that can only make the rest of any of our resolutions worth while is to seek out to love ourselves more. That is to respect ourselves and know when to say no, when to turn down something that will overburden us, and when to accept something - despite the fear - when we know it's good for us.