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New Years' Resolutions?

Every New Years' I try to think of what needs changing, what went well, what went wrong. It's a debrief for the year.

A lot changed this year. Not sure of what to resolved yet. My resolutions are not so much a promise of what to do, but a 'regroup', usually fine tuning and redirecting. In the past, it's led to moving to a different city, life changes, and career changes. Mostly not so dramatic.

This year? Too soon to say. Time to start thinking about it.

My biggest challenges are too much work, and trying to do too much. So maybe I'll work on focus. Oh, and the new project is already decided, as I've mentioned elsewhere, beekeeping.

You?

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Permalink Reply by Idaho Spud on December 9, 2012 at 2:53pm

As others have said, I don't make resolutions. It's counter-productive for me.

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Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on December 9, 2012 at 4:51pm

Looks like I'm in the minority, by far! :) What else is new? Not trying to "convert" anyone, so each to his own!

I like to take stock of my life now and then. By making it annual, it's a way to do it at leoast once a year. Otherwise it can be forgotten, at least by me. Could be birthday, or Arbor day (a great choice!) or Mother Theresa's confirmation day. For me it's New Years.

It was that process that led me to joint the Army in my crazy youth - for many not a wise decision, but worked wonders for me. And to come out to myself as gay, another year. And to go to grad school, another year. And quit smoking, also in my crazy youth. And move from Indiana to Oregon. And learn to bake pies. And become a bread baker. And move on from the death of my partner in the 80s. And, now that I think of it, to seek an online atheist community.

Not every resolution was good, or kept (like learning to make tamales), but in the long run, I'm happy to use this time to reflect, cogitate, ruminate, pontificate, masticate, and elaborate. Just made those up.

It's also a way to look beyond that holiday-that-shall-remain-nameless, to the future. And think about something other than the darkness, dreary days, chill, long nights.

Regardless of whether others do the same, and honestly each to their own, I hope everyone is doing well this winter and in the year to come. You are all very appreciated. Very glad you are there, and on here.

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Permalink Reply by booklover on December 10, 2012 at 7:15am

What a great post Sentient! I'm glad the New Years Resolutions work for you. It sounds like it has served you very well! You are very appreciated too! ~ Melinda

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Permalink Reply by Luara on December 10, 2012 at 7:05am

When I was a kid, my father kept bees for awhile. Only some he got were aggressive bees. It became a common sight to see a kid running across the yard with a bee chasing them, dashing in the glass sliding door and slamming it, while the bee banged outside :)

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Permalink Reply by Liz on December 10, 2012 at 12:40pm

I am also in the no resolution camp. Oh, I know there are things that I should do (quit smoking, exercise etc) but trying to force myself by making a phoney resolution won't get me anywhere.

The beekeeping sounds cool. I knew a family back home in MD that did it. The Dad actually made a pretty good side income from it.

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Permalink Reply by Regina M on December 18, 2012 at 12:10pm

I stopped making new years resolutions a long time ago. I always figured if I wanted to change something, I can do that any day of the year. I quit smoking in September (15 years ago). I joined weight watchers in November (4 years ago). If we wait for the new year to come around to make a resolution, will we ever get our butts out of our sofas?

Having said that, and in light of the recent horrors in CT, I do feel the urge to activate myself politically. It's not enough anymore that I go out and vote at each election. It's not enough that I listen to NPR and know what's going on (as much as a person can) in the world. No. It's time. Time to start writing letters. Time to get my butt off the sofa and stand up. Time for my voice to be heard. And maybe it's time to be more vocal about my non-religious beliefs while I'm at it. I might be out of the closet with some people, but with others I'm back in the corner behind the old coats, shoe boxes, and purple froofy bridesmaids dresses. I think the older I'm getting, the more I don't give a shit what other people think about me.