Wednesday, December 30, 2009

New Year’s Resolutions

With the ending of one year and the beginning of another just hours away, do you make resolutions?

How are you at keeping the resolutions you make?

As the 2009 year draws to a close many people will begin 2010 with their lists of resolutions. Usually on the top of most list (especially women’s) is: lose weight/ eat better/ exercise more or a combination of two or more of these.

I normally don’t make New Year’s resolutions because I’ve never been good at keeping them. I’ve tried to lose weight (usually wind up gaining more). I’ve tried to exercise more (usually last about a week, maybe two). I’ve tried writing daily in a journal (usually do okay for a few days, then once a week, then once a month and then … ).

I thought about making a list of New Year’s resolutions, but then I thought better of it. Instead I came up with several things I want to strive for in 2010:
* To be a better family member to my family.
* To be a better friend to the friends I have.
* To be a better person to the strangers I meet.
* To do a kind act at least once a day.

I stopped by Tote Bags 'n' Blogs yesterday and read a very interesting post by Dara Girard entitled “New Year’s Resolutions for Writers.” If you haven’t checked it out already, drop by and give it a read. It’s very enlightening.

Check back tomorrow for a blog about New Year’s traditions. We’ve had a tradition for the past 28 years, no it doesn’t include alcohol … well maybe just a little for the adults.

(Be sure to check the Saturday, Dec. 29, post off and on as the January schedule of guest bloggers continues to change.)

What resolutions are you making?

17 comments:

  1. Well...I'm not sure about specifics yet. But most important to me is to live a life worthy of myself...meaning to treat myself better. I will concentrate on the mind, body and soul.

    Happy New Year!

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  2. I'm not much for resolutions but I like yours and wish you all the very best with them. Every happiness in the new year.

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  3. I love your thoughts Teresa. If we can live a worthy life, then I think we can interact more positive with others.
    Happy New Year to you too.

    Romantic, thanks for stopping by and following. Hope the coming year brings you good health and happiness.

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  4. Great idea - we all should strive to be better people every day :)

    I don't set resolutions either - too much stress!

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  5. Mason - I really like your resolutions very much! I wish you much success in the new yaer, and I admire you for your commitment. As for me, I usually don't make resolutions at the new year. I find that I do better if I set shorter-term goals for myself (e.g. OK, By the end of this week, I'll......). When I achieve those shorter goals, after a while, they add up to the bigger ones.

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  6. Jemi, I agree there is too much stress in setting resolutions. And then, if you're like me, you feel guilty for not keeping them.

    Margot, good idea on the shorter goals. I like that. I'll have to give that a try and maybe I can keep those.

    Happy New Year to both of you.

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  7. I don't make New Year resolutions because I've never been able to keep them. But I admire those who do and can. Happy 2010!

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  8. Carol, I understand about not being able to keep resolutions. That's my downfall. Happy New Year to you too!

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  9. I don't make resolutions anymore, I set intentions. I actually blogged about why New Year's intentions work better than New Year's resolutions on The Conscious Cat this morning, here's the link: http://bit.ly/8WaWXB The difference is subtle, but powerful.

    I like your list, Mason, but from the person I've come to know on your blog, I think it's a pretty safe bet to say you're already doing all these things. Happy New Year!

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  10. I like the "striving for" thing. Much better than the stiff "resolution" - those set you up to feel like a phony flop if you don't make it or achieve it or accomplish it. It's only a year ... it ain't over til it's over, and we are not perfect beings ... but we should STRIVE to be. (wink)

    Marvin D Wilson

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  11. Hello - you will no doubt be pleased to know that I have bestowed upon you a most illustrious award - The Honest Scrap Award. Don't worry if you have received it before. Like the Oscars, they make good bookends. See here for full details - http://albertthecat.blogspot.com/

    Regards,

    Albert The Cat.

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  12. Ingrid, thank you for the kind words. I can only hope to be that person. I'll be sure and check out your list of intentions. I like the sound of that.

    Marvin (Birthday Boy), I agree about the resolutions setting you up for feeling like a flop if you don't accomplish them. If we were perfect, would we be "beings"?

    Sr. Luba, thank you for stopping by and following. Happy holidays to you as well.

    Albert, thank you for the award. I will be by to pick it up later today. Bookends for a book reviewer's site, I like that. Thanks again.

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  13. wishing you all the best in the upcoming 2010, Mason, hope it will be successful and creative for you ;)

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  14. Mason,
    My resolution is to not make any resolutions that I can't keep anyhow. I like your list.

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  15. Dezmond, wishing the same for you too. I'm not sure if you'll celebrate before or after we do. I'm not good with time zones. But, Happy New Year,

    diva donna, sorry for the delay in responsding. Work was crazy today, early deadlines because of the holiday. I like your resolution - no resolutions is the way to good. Happy New Year.

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  16. I think I like *your* resolutions!

    Mine involve managing my time so that I can spend more time with my family in the late afternoons and evenings.

    Elizabeth
    Mystery Writing is Murder

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  17. Elizabeth, time with the family is always a good resolutions. Sometimes with busy schedules it's hard to find even a few minutes of "down time" where the family can just enjoy each others company and catch up on the day's events.

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I'd love to hear your thoughts on today's post. Thanks for dropping by.