New Year's resolutions

I find them silly, because everyone and their sister says they'll lose weight or quit smoking or something else. Then, the resolution becomes crap after the first week of January. What's the point?

 
Funny you should say "everyone and their sister" because normally I'd agree with the above... except last year... both my sister and I made resolutions that we've keptthroughout the year.  As a solidarity thing, we resolved to lose weight together.  Suffice it to say, I now have coworkers/friends/family calling me "skinny", and my sister could be a posterchild for Nutrasystem! 
 
My resolution this year is to continue to treat my health as a priority.  That's the way I like my resolutions - abstract enough to encompass a variety
of objectives, without condemning me to any specific failure should I not "measure up".

yes, absolution unto myself for not living up to all my own expectations, and even for having to have expectations of myself.
 
AND
 
to not ever make another resolution []
 
if i need to better some part of my life- i should do it on an everyday basis, not yearly.
 

The year was a very stressfully year for me, my mother was very sick in March and April, I did manage to finally get her here for a week to recoup and while she was here my Gran(dads mom) passed away. Then in July the office I worked for had a major partner upheaval, I decided to go with 2 of them, then in August I was having problems and found out in Sept. I had diabetes. To cap that we lost Babe in Oct. I have been up and down so much this year my emotions were like a yo-yo.
 
So, this year I do have resolutions! 3 in fact. And they are.
1) get back to fixing my diet 2) Bring lunch to work each day, no more eating out 3) join a dog club to work with Kord. All 3 of these are designed to get my diabetes under control with a good diet and exercise. We can talk about my smoking later.
 
Dawn

ORIGINAL: Roxie865

I've never kept a New Year's resolution.  I find them silly, because everyone and their sister says they'll lose weight or quit smoking or something else.  Then, the resolution becomes crap after the first week of January.  What's the point?

Well, I'm writing a column on the topic this weekend (I'm a staff writer for the local newspaper).  My personal resolution will be included towards the latter part of the column; I'm actually making one that can hold up through the year. 

So ... I'm going to ... be nicer to people.  I'm a nice person in general, but people annoy the crap out of me with their bad driving, slow shopping, and other things.  It drives me batty, so I think it'll be better if I simply tolerate it.  See, that makes me sound bad.  LOL!

In 2007, I'm changing my tune for the better.  I'll be put to the test immediately, because I'll get behind the wheel and face off with the idiot drivers. [:@]

So ... does anyone have a particular resolution for the upcoming year? 

I write a weekly column, too.  I wrote mine a couple of weeks ago, and  suggested that resolutions be made by setting mini goals.  So, if you want to lose weight, don't say "I'm gonna lose 40 pounds in 2007", say "I'm gonna lose 2 pounds per week."  Etc.  HTH

My resolution is always the same - I resolve not to make any resolutions I can't keep. []

My resolutions are more oriented toward improving the household. Yes, I need to lose weight but many people do that for resolutions. Yes my health is important but, frankly that with improving our household's health, it will help with losing the weight.

Our familial resolutions this year are to stop dining out, especially when we have tons of food in the house already. We are going to stick to the food budget that I have laid out. If it is broke, we fix it before throwing tossing it. We will look at the necessity of the broken item to see whether it really needs replacing in the first place. We will stay away from shopping and enjoy the outdoors more. Our finances are not horrendous nor do we have a mountain of debt. I am just tired of wasting money.

My personal resolutions are to take a more active role in the household chores. I have the time and I can keep this house cleaner without being a clean freak. This will open up more time on the weekends for family oriented things. I also want to work on my patience. I have a short fuse with some things. I want to become more patient.

--Sara

I think that the reason resolutions are so often broken is that they are neither spoken as, nor occur as "possibility" to most folks.  As soon as a resolution is made it becomes this "thing" staked into the ground and something that people have to STRIVE for.  Striving always comes out of a loss of power.
 
I really think the difference is in the language.  For example:
 
"I resolve to lose 20 lbs. in 2007!" 
 - the goal is a fixed place to "get" to.  You're forever measuring yourself AGAINST that goal whenever you look in the mirror or get on the scale.  Everything that shows up in your life from then on is something that you aren't getting to or haven't attained yet. 
 
 
"I am creating the possibility of health and vitality in 2007"
- there is so much freedom in this declaration.  What does health and vitality "look like" in the world?  It gives us a place to stand from the viewpoint of "being".  If you're "being" healthy and vital, what kinds of things are you DOing?  Exercising, eating better, joining classes, getting in relationship with others?  And then you'll HAVE what you want - and I bet suddenly that scale starts getting in agreement with the possibility, too! 
 
Be...Do...Have  (I'm going to BE healthy and then get out there and DO healthy things and then I'll HAVE a great body!) 
 
So often we think it is Have...Do...Be (Once I HAVE that great body after I've DONE the 20-lb weight loss then I'll BE happy)
 
I ask you, which approach is more powerful?  Which approach gives us more freedom and joy?  Which offers a place to stand and not something to strive toward? 
 
Just some food for thought. 

Good points.

Hey, food for thought isn't fattening, is it? [sm=eek.gif][sm=lol.gif]

I do have one, but it's adult in nature so I won't post it here. []
 
NYR's are helpful, if only to make you realize there are things about yourself that could be improved. That's something even if you don't get there.

My resolution is always the same - I resolve not to make any resolutions I can't keep. []
 
Same here. [] That's why I've decided to make the time to read a few more trashy novels or watch a little more late night TV - I know I can do that.
 
Joyce

a few years back my NYR was to not even touch a cigarette for the whole year and i did it. the trick was, that i was already quitting and the fact that A LOT of ppl heard me make the resolution, so i woulda lost a lotta face if i was cought. lol.
 
this year my new years resolutions are these:
 
1- put my dogs' future before my love of them and find new and good homes for them if i can't take them with me []
 
2- be more open to talking to new people. i think i often come off as the mean girl in my group of friends and aparantly a lotta ppl are intimidated by me and that's the reason they don't really talk with me. i want to make myself more approachable..

i dont like new years resolutions. it is too much pressure. i have made life changes before, but never with a new years resolution.

several years ago, i was overweight and leading a very sedentary lifestyle. i decided it was time for change and i did it, but it was no where near new years. i think it was in april or may. maybe i made an april fool's resolution?

now i have lost track of my exercise regimine and healthy eating and i need to get back to what i was doing before. but i dont want to do it as a new year's resolution. too cliche and i would probably not follow through with it.