My New Year’s Resolutions

Hmm. None. I really don’t believe in them. I think I’ve done this rant before, but the basic gist is that it’s an arbitrary calendar date. If you think something is important, start doing it. Don’t wait until January first.

I’m a runner and I typically slack off in the winter. I hate the treadmill and the cold and the dark tends to minimize my outdoor runs. This year I wanted to try to stay in shape. So I decided to start swimming. We have a family membership at our local YMCA which has a very nice pool. I’m not a particularly good swimmer, but I am stubborn. So I started swimming.

Did I start in January? Of course not. It was late October when I decided this would be a good thing to try. So that’s when I started.

My point is that for New Year’s, people look at the calendar and decide they need to make a change. That just doesn’t work. You should decide that you need to make a change just because you do, not because you are suddenly writing 2009 on your checks.

I love the people who decide to diet as a New Year’s resolution, but to totally indulge over the holidays. It’s one of the more common resolutions, but totally goofy in it’s execution. You decide that moderation in eating/drinking is something that is important for your life. So to prepare for this life change, you do the complete opposite for a month. Oh yeah, that will work.

Have you ever been around someone who quit smoking? How often did they quit on January 1st? Most of the time something just clicked in their life that it was time to quit. The truth is that most resolutions are a bit hard. You have to be committed. The fact that you bought a new calendar does not equal commitment.

Anyone who goes to the gym regularly will tell how much they hate January. Because it’s the month when the gym is jam packed with people who you know will not be there in February.

Be honest. How many New Year’s resolutions have you really kept? …