New Year's Resolutions 2013

Hello all,

First of all I want to say Merry belated Christmas to everyone! This season seemed to come and go quicker for some reason this year and therefore I did not have a special holiday blog post for Christmas. (Although, as a quick note, it is my favorite season.)

This leaves New Year's.

With a mere hour or so left of 2012 during the writing of this blog post, I want to say that I am VERY excited about 2013 and hope all of you are as well.

Many of you either make resolutions you don't keep, figure you won't keep them so you don't bother making them, or don't bother making them period.

First of all, a "resolution" is "a resolve or determination" (according to Dictionary.com). This means that when you make a "resolution" you are stating something that you would like to do something and are determined to accomplish it.

Most people forget by the second week of January what our resolutions are. This happens for a number of reasons but I find that many of the resolutions that are made are unrealistic, stupid, or vague. "I would like to lose 20 pounds" is a "resolution" that can be made at any point in the year, and making that resolution doesn't mean that you won't gain that weight back after you lose it. "I would like to keep in touch with family and friends more." Vague. How will you do this? What is "more?"

So I am advocating that we abolish New Year's resolutions. Yes, I said it. Instead I think we should all get together and create "New Year's pledges" instead. A "pledge" means "a solemn promise or agreement to do or refrain from doing something." Pledge to yourself to accomplish something (or somethings) this year.

How do you come up with a decent pledge? Make it short, to the point, and specific. Make it about something that's important to you. "Quit smoking" is good, but how about "I pledge to quit smoking by decreasing the amount of cigarettes I smoke weekly starting the first of the year until I am able to be smoke free?" Not that lengthy and it packs a punch because now you can see how you're going to do it and you feel obligated to yourself to accomplish it. Also make sure it's realistic. There is nothing more depressing than coming to the end of a year and realizing you never did create a robot that will paint a room to perfection and clean up after itself. I'd be sad if I promised I'd do that but didn't accomplish it.

How do you keep your pledge? Type them up (or better yet, write them!), print them out, and frame, yes frame, them and put them in a location you will see all year. If you feel they are too personal to be shared with others, put them in a spot only you will see. If you think that it will help to share them with the world, do so. This helps for two reasons: a) you will be reminded of them everyday, and b) at the end of the year, you can feel proud of what you accomplished, or critical of yourself over what you did not accomplish.

I also think making only one pledge is being lazy. Come on guys, one pledge? For the whole year? I would say make no more than four or five. You can do it. We have 365 days this year. Make each one count.

Two of Holly's 2013 New Year's Pledges:

1) To stay as organic as possible by consistently reading ingredients on packaging, choosing organic products, and researching for organic restaurants, farms, and stores where ever my travels take me.

2) To stay healthy/active by volunteering at a non-profit organization of my choosing, going on various hikes or nature related activities, and/or working a job that requires me to be on my feet for a total number of hours of a typical work week (including vacations, etc.)

I think making New Year's Pledges is an important thing to do but let's not forget that we should be keeping promises we make to ourselves and each other all the time. Too often in our culture today do we just say "I promise" and let it go like it's nothing. Keep your word. You'll feel better in the end if you do.