January 1, 2011, New Year Resolutions

For several years now, I have been resolved NOT to make New Year resolutions.  My rationale is that self-improvement is more likely to occur if I don’t attach strict guidelines to it.  I want to exercise more, spend more time in the garden, and spend more time writing, however, what kind of motivation would I have if I fail after 5 days to do these things?  I would most likely quit and wait until the next year before I try again.  Instead, I strive to do these things, but don’t beat myself up if I fail.

Too bad more people don’t try to improve themselves.    I put people into 5 Self-Improvement categories: 

1.       Those people that strive and achieve self improvement, whether it be something as small as resolving to make their bed every day, or those who lose 100 pounds and then go on Oprah to show off their new body in a bikini.  Real achievers seldom announce that they are trying to improve—they just do it.

2.       Those people who never strive to improve themselves because, for whatever reason, they don’t acknowledge that there is anything wrong with themselves in the first place.  We all know at least one person like this.  They are the ones who never apologize, never admit they are wrong, and are generally insufferable but we have to put up with them anyway because they are our boss or we are related to them.  I sincerely hope that none of you are married to someone like this.

3.       Those people who say they are going to improve, but don’t really try, and then tell everyone that they have made some grand improvement.  These are the people who rave that they have lost 2 pounds or haven’t smoked a cigarette in 3 days (although a discreet sniff test will reveal that they must have had a cigarette within the last hour).

4.       Those people that sigh and acknowledge that they need to improve but have an excuse for why they can’t.    “I don’t have time to work in the garden” or “I’ve tried to quit smoking 3 times now and it just doesn’t work” or “I know I need to save more money, but it’s important that I dress well for my job if I want to get ahead.”

5.       Those people that just don’t care if they improve or not.  They smoke, and don’t care that it’s bad for their health.  They are overweight but feel comfortable with their body.  They don’t have anything in their savings but as long as the rent is paid and there is food on the table, they don’t care if there is anything else. 

I must humbly admit that it is the last category I usually fall into, however, throughout my life I have also been in each of the other categories, including the first.