A Fresh Take on New Years Resolutions
It’s a time-honored tradition and it seems like everyone is in on it, in some shape or another, amplified by social media. That’s right, I’m talking about New Years resolutions. For me, rather than picking and choosing from the usual list that so many swear to follow each year, I prefer to try and focus on something that really connects with my own values and is more meaningful to my personal growth. Not a New Years resolution, but a “life resolution.”
Like so many, I’ve previously fallen into the common New Years vows: watching what I eat to lose some weight, going to bed earlier, reading more. Although all of these are worthy goals that I should probably pursue, I’m past the point in life of committing to such a list that I’ll fall away from in a few short weeks. Instead, I am making a “life resolution” that I can refer to each day, as opposed to one that only rolls around each January. This kind of resolution involves improving on some aspect of the previous day and repeating the exercise every day. A couple such resolutions I’m looking forward to trying include turning the radio off during the morning drive and using that time to talk with a friend instead as well as simply thinking more positively about a perceived challenge or roadblock that I’m facing.
You could choose to be friendly to someone you don’t care for or who doesn’t care for you. You could choose to say nothing where previously you might have to commented or tried to prove a point. Like the old saying goes, “If you can’t say anything nice, then don’t say anything at all.” My personal approach is make the life resolutions that can actually change a life – whether it’s feeding the birds, giving a cup of corn to the deer in the yard, greeting a stranger, or making a donation to a cause I feel really passionate about.
The nice thing about having a “life resolution” is that you can start/restart at any time during the year. At those times in life when I’m reminded of how fortunate I am, it’s great to start making a difference again, to really strive to meet my goals, and to enjoy the satisfaction of connecting with my values. And I wish that for all of you as we collectively prepare to have a healthy, successful 2018. If there’s any way that my colleagues and I can assist you with your life resolutions or any other financial goals you may have for the new year, you can reach me by email at [email protected].