Resolutions

Summer is here!

The year 2016 is half over.

Way back in January lots of people made New Year's resolutions. Did you?

I didn't because I knew I probably wouldn't keep them. By this time I would probably have forgotten all about them anyway. New Year's resolutions are pretty much futile for me.

But what about making seasonal resolutions?

If I resolve to accomplish something in the next three months I'll probably remember it and might actually get it done. Then I can make one or more new resolutions for Fall and Winter and might actually get those done, too.

Okay, I can do that.

For this season I resolve to make a new address book, since my old one is overflowing. And I resolve to pick and preserve lots of fruit from my yard.

What do you plan to accomplish this Summer?

And what do you think of making seasonal resolutions instead of annual New Year's ones?

Resolutions Revisited

The year 2015 is more than half-way over. I just realized this is a good time to check our New Year's Resolutions.

Way back at the beginning of the year I resolved to learn not to worry as much as I usually did, but I've only improved a little bit.

However I have decided that I don't need to feel guilty (or worry) about worrying. I do it because I have a creative mind and thinking "what if..." is part of that creativity. Now when I realize I'm worrying I try to change my thoughts to "What if..." something good were to happen.

To the people who made resolutions to keep their homes always spotless, to become rich and famous, or to reach other unlikely goals and didn't succeed, I offer my condolences. To those who have succeeded at keeping their resolutions, I offer my admiration.

What resolutions did you make at the beginning of this year?

Did you manage to keep them?

Resolutions

I've heard most people don't keep their New Year's resolutions. Perhaps that's because they forget or because the resolutions are too difficult to be realistic.

But there's no reason why our resolutions have to be about major changes or things we intend to keep doing for an entire year. Why not make resolutions to do just one simple thing in the next few days?

For example, instead if resolving to loose fifty pounds in a year why not just resolve to avoid eating sweets tomorrow? Or, instead of resolving to keep a home or office clean and organized why not promise to tackle that one pile of papers and file or toss them all by the weekend?

If we keep that one resolution perhaps we'll be motivated to make another small one. Success is a motivator, so perhaps we can mark the calendar with a reminder to do one small resolution at the beginning of every month. Maybe if we get into the habit of making and keeping them, we'll even want to try making a resolution every week.

But if we don't keep a resolution that's no reason to give up. The first of January may be the start of the year, but every morning is a new beginning.