Happy New Year

Resolutions are both a good thing and a not so good thing.  If you have to wait for the New Year to make a resolution you're not real serious about the resolution in the first place.  For example, if you say: "my New Year resolution is to stop smoking," I believe your odds of accomplishing that resolution is less than twenty percent.  If you want to stop smoking, take the steps to do so now.  This might be the hardest thing you've ever accomplished So, don't believe waiting for New Year will make it easier.

The good part of making resolutions is you have an idea of what you have to improve upon in your life.  The goal of your resolutions should be ones that will make you happier. Improving your health is a great resolution.  Stop being angry at someone who has done you wrong is a great resolution.  Getting rid of the things and/or the people in your life that have made you unhappy is a great resolution.  Deciding to get more out of life is a great resolution.

Getting a dog, buying a car, getting a new home, paying your bill on time, saving money, going out more, seeing your children, etc. etc. are not resolutions.  These are the everyday things you should be doing as a way of life.

Getting revenge is a bad resolution.  Doing something you really don't want to do, but it will make you more money is a bad resolution. Buying a car or house you really can't afford is a bad resolution.  Leaving the job you love and are great at doing for a promotion to one that has more stress, less fun, but more money and more power is a bad resolution.  Stop taking risks is a bad resolution.  

I don't make resolutions.  They can be restricting.  They can make me unhappy if they don't happen.  My goal is to get the most out of the life that is available to me.  I don't want to make a resolution I have to do because one day later my priorities might change. I don't want to make a resolution that requires the outside world to reach my goal.  I don't want to make a resolution where things I can't control could make me unhappy.

I want to live life doing the things that make me happy.  I want to appreciate the things that I have accomplished.  I want to pat myself on the back for the problems I've overcome.  I want to believe I have control of my happiness.

I want to love myself unconditionally.  Now that's a fabulous resolution!