I’m not making any New Year’s resolutions this year.
I have in the past – eat healthier, exercise more. I’m usually pretty good at sticking with them for the first few months. Sadly, I have to admit they eventually slip as time moves on.
The intention is good and it’s the right time of year to evaluate things and straighten out bad habits.
“I resolve to exercise more.”
“I resolve to lose weight.”
Everything starts off right. Last year I resolved to lose weight. In fact, I lost 10 pounds in the first couple months of 2017.
Then, without fail, things eventually slipped. I think I know why, I can say I want to exercise more, but what precisely does that mean. Am I going to the gym? Am I running? Am I going for a daily walk? It’s not the direction I really need.
If there’s one thing my wife has instilled in me over the years, it’s the value of a good list to help focus and let you know what needs to be done.
So, no resolutions this year. I’m trying something different – making clear, simple, achievable goals.
I’m still working on my list, but there’s already a few items on it.
My wife and I have already set a goal to purge out some old, unused items from our cabinets, drawers and closets. We’ve already sent out a few garbage bags of old clothes and we’ve shredded a couple bags of papers and documents we don’t need laying around. We were talking Sunday about what to do next, I suggested raiding the kitchen cabinets to get rid of things we haven’t used in the last couple years.
I’ve set a goal to pay off at least half of my personal debt this year.
I’m still figuring out my health and fitness goals, but they will include taking daily walking breaks at the office. I also set a goal to learn something new and take some classes this year.
I think a to-do list will be a better approach this year than trying to stick to a resolution.
