There’s always a lot of buzz around New Year’s Resolutions as we enter a new year.  It’s a buzz that fades as the month of January progresses.  By the time this article is published, you may be thinking “resolutions, huh? That is so four weeks ago!” I wondered whether this article would even feel relevant anymore, even though I wrote it in early January, when resolutions were on my mind.

But then I got to thinking: what if we choose a resolution that we could start at any old time of year? What if we had one that worked for us? So often, we don’t. Resolutions are often:

E pic – vast in their scope

V irtuous

I nconvenient / Unmaintainable

L oathsome

But, what about, instead, a resolution that is:

L ifestyle-workable

I nteresting

F un

E ngaging

Lifestyle-Workable

Can you fit it in? Is it convenient? If yoga, for example, is where your interest lies, why not choose a class that is, if possible:

• Near your work or home
• Available on your lunch hour
• On your way home
• Easy to get to
• Has great parking for your bike or car, or you can easily walk; is easily accessible by transit
• Affordable

Interesting

Is it something you’re actually interested in or something you’re “supposed” to be interested in? I think almost anything goes here, even if it seems unconventional or untraditional.

I have a goal of learning Fair Isle knitting because I’m fascinated with it – but not this year!  There are a few lifestyle factors which would interfere with me learning it during this year of my life. So for now, I’m choosing the more realistic goal of increasing my knitting time by one hour a week.  This may sound underwhelming, but to me, it’s pretty exciting.  I’m geeky like that.

Fun

A variation of interesting, but with more of an excitement factor.  Fun helps sow the seed of motivation. It’s so much easier to opt for something that’s fun, than something that’s just plain good for you.  And this is not to dis good for you!  We can’t always choose fun, but why not make room for it, when possible?

Engaging

Why not build on fun and make your goal engaging? This could mean things like being part of community, such as joining a choir, volunteering or giving back, or choosing an activity where you get feedback from others, such as taking an acting class.

Here, I haven’t gotten into the nitty-gritty of making resolutions that last; I have some definite thoughts on that which I’ve discussed previously.

You might have noticed that I made reference, above to “a” resolution – that’s right: just one!  It’s easier to accomplish that way.  And, hopefully, more likely that it’s one you will want to make a part of your LIFE!