How to Keep New Year’s Resolutions with Russell’s Rules
My success with New Year’s resolutions feels flawless now that I’ve discovered my here-to-fore secret technique. Since then every resolution I’ve made, I’ve kept. Suspecting people under our clear skies generally don’t feel as successful, I offer my secrets and provide examples you may want to adopt.
First, and perhaps my most important rules: If I don’t feel a need to make a resolution, I don’t make one. I make resolutions about half the time. The other half the time it occurs to me well into the month of January that I’m without a resolution. Having gone that long, it’s clear I can survive the year without one, and resolve to do so. You could say my resolution to have no resolution is a resolution, and I’ll accept your interpretation, meaning I make resolutions every year and always succeed. I’m fine with either interpretation.
My resolutions are attitudinal, rather than specific, netted down to one or two words. For example one year my resolution was ‘balance.’ Balance means avoiding wild swings of commitment plunging me into late nights and early mornings against my will, tossing and turning at night about fewer floundering projects, or being overwhelmed by long to-do lists that interfere with my family, business or service interests.
I’ve succeeded by creating an unavoidable reminder, such as inserting balance as my computer screensaver, or ‘I am A-OK” on my cell phone. I thought about balance frequently, perhaps daily, but I wasn’t at my computer every day so I can’t be sure. Nevertheless resolutions infuse my attitude throughout the year. I’m pleased to come across quotes aligning me with the biblical word such as, “A just balance and the scales are the Lord’s,” and with long standing philosophical wisdom such as “I’m OK, You’re OK.” At year’s end I’ve congratulated myself on my deep commitment to those attitudes that improved my outlook on life.
Some of you may question whether proof of my success exists in tangible, measurable indicators. True, well-intentioned people resolve to lose weight by marking down a number from a scale at the beginning of the year to compare with a target at the end of the year. Count me not among those self-tormented souls. They spend money to buy work-out equipment they later sell at a loss, become members in athletic clubs they gradually avoid, or purchase packets of recommended meals, all the while growing increasingly anxious as they hurtle towards an inaccessible self-imposed weight at the New Year, rendering them unable to enjoy the Christmas season with the beneficence of neighbors bringing irresistible delectables, such as Karen’s acclaimed fudge.
Besides, how would you recommend I measure balance? Isn’t it evidentiary data I’m more balanced if I feel more balanced? Isn’t the fact that balance is a present theme in my life after all these years sufficient proof that my resolution was even more successful than I realized before resolving to write this article? Does not such evidence warrant more faith than a comparison between two numbers gathered on particular days at particular times from a weight scale that is notorious for wobbling out of alignment, or from a new scale purchased to replace the one accused of obviously overweighting as some resolutionists I’ve known have done?
Without fear and with enthusiasm I’ve chosen my new resolution and resolved to share it with you. Part of my fearlessness is my able ally, our 14-pound canine comet Haley, who should help me every day when she zooms into my lap after returning from outside. Even more satisfying should be watching my resolution spread across the faces of people around me throughout the year. Haley wags her tail harder when she sees one. My resolution is smile.
Try my system this year. Imagine the fun you’ll have thinking about an attitude of a successful resolution in your happy new year and next year’s Christmas celebrations. The thought of you joining Haley, Karen and me in such a celebration makes me smile.
Posted by JSR at 1/5/2012 3:57 AM 
Categories: Adventures in Retirement, Common Sense, Humor
Tags: new years resolutions smile problems with new years resolutions
Categories: Adventures in Retirement, Common Sense, Humor
Tags: new years resolutions smile problems with new years resolutions
Thoughtful reflections as always...but as I was reading your part about “They spend money to buy work-out equipment they later sell at a loss”, I thought it might be helpful to offer up one of the tips that Claudia and I have found to be pretty successful over the past several years.
We likewise used to buy the treadmill, have Sears deliver it, have it take up space in the living room, then to the den, then to the garage, then outside with a blue tarp, then to the yard sale.....you know the drill, what a headache.
We think we’ve stumbled across the perfect strategy. Now we just simply buy it at Sears and have them drop ship it directly to the landfill...just quicker and less painful for all involved. Just a thoughtful tip for other similar minded souls...for what it’s worth
Reply to this