With Resolution

Well, it's the beginning of the year again and everyone is talking about making New Year's resolutions, as if turning the page on the calendar is incentive enough for ending all bad habits and beginning of a new page in the book of life.

Now, I'm of the opinion that no one keeps New Year's resolutions in spite of good intentions. Actually, if we need to make major improvements in ourselves, we shouldn't wait for a New Year to do so, but that seems to be a moot point.

If you must make resolutions, one of the most popular, and probably the most needed, is the one to lose weight. About 80% of Americans could stand to shed a few pounds. Just thinking about all the people wanting to lose weight is enough to scare restaurant owners out of business. Unfortunately, people have to eat, which is the only excuse most of us need.

Another popular resolution is the one to stop smoking. Government seems to have resolved to help people keep this one with a whole list of new laws against smoking in public places. But for the truly addicted, this resolution seems to last only about as long as it takes until time to light up the next cigarette.

Some people resolve to improve their minds, either by formal classes or by self-improvement though study. This one usually falls by the wayside before we actually get around to finding classes to register for. It is too much easier to go home and watch TV. We rationalize by saying we will watch something educational, like CSI and The Amazing Race. Who do we think we are kidding?

According to surveys, many people resolve to get a different job, one that is worthy of their extraordinary talents. Sort of scary that so many people are dissatisfied with their job that they are ready to leave. Chances are that if they were
actually were willing to work at job hunting, they would be gone already and not worrying about making a resolution to quit.

Spending less money or paying off bills is a good resolution for many people. Maybe that's why they want a new job, come to think of it. Of course while we figure out a way to save money, retailers and banks are making resolutions to try and think of more ways to get people to spend and to pay higher interest. So, far they seem to be better at keeping their resolutions than consumers are.

Nearly all resolutions have to do with personal improvement. That goes without explanation since it doesn't do a lot of good to try and improve other people anyhow. In fact, a useful resolution might be to spend less time worrying about what others do, and more worrying about what we do.

It's a vicious circle, isn't it? At least we do think about some of our less attractive habits and behaviors and the need to change our ways. Who knows, it may help us to be somewhat more aware of our shortcomings and more determined to try a bit harder to do better in the future.

The best way to keep resolutions, they say, is to keep the list short and attainable. Mine is so short there is nothing on it at all. Even so, I will probably still not only not be able to keep any resolutions, I will even lose the piece of paper they should be written on and the pen to write them with.

We might as well admit it. The main thing some of us need to change is our attitude about changing. I'll make a note of it as soon as I find my pen and paper.

Copyright 2007 Sheila Moss