Starting in December every year, I read and hear about resolutions every day. By early January, the talk is about how to keep them. Now I see articles about what to do when you break them. I finally learned to ignore all of this (most of the time).
Resolutions just don’t work for me. I used to make them, break them, then beat myself up over not keeping them. Now if making New Year’s resolutions is working for you, stop reading here!
If you’re still with me, I have two ideas that do work for me. This time around I’ll tell you about the first idea.
#1 Try something new.
The beginning of the year is a good time to try out something you have always wanted to do but just never got around to. Or you could revisit an activity you liked when you were younger, but dropped for some reason. In the past, I have tried practicing different sports and forms of exercise, visiting new places (even in my own town), joining different organizations, learning new technology, writing poetry, reading unusual types of literature, cooking with new recipes. The possibilities are endless and unique to you. This blog is one new thing I am trying this year.
I don’t make any major investment. I like to try something that is free, has a trial period, or at least does not require a long-term commitment. Then if I break an ankle or decide that I dislike the activity after giving it a fair trial, no great loss. A few years back, I signed up and paid for a rowing class. I enjoyed it, but the activity aggravated a chronic condition, and I had to drop out without receiving a refund. I plan to try it again someday, but next time I will look for a free trial.
I know many people who have “bucket lists”, but those usually include activities that require a significant investment of time and money, like visiting other countries or climbing a mountain. Why not make a “coffee mug list” and get started on it today? January may be almost over, but this is something you can do year-round.
Next time I will tell you about my other alternative to New Year’s resolutions.