So, there's been a backlash to the New Year's Resolution in the past few years--I think people take 'em too seriously! This year, I cut mine back to something small. I've resolved to floss, and at this point, I'm two-for-two. SO...do you do the NY Resolution thing? If so, what's yours? (If you feel like telling, that is!)
Nope, seems kinda silly to me...if I'm not going to do it other times the fact that it's a new year isn't going to change my laziness into motivation.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Jan 2 2007, 09:53 AM) [snapback]369616[/snapback]</div> It's just a fun thing where humans acknowledge their frailty while refusing to give up hope for a brighter future. "Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness." Ex. - "I'm overweight....this isn't good for me. I can just give up and have a Krispy Kreme. Or I can go a little public and say I'm going to work on it." (While silently asking for a little help in this department.) Seems a little more positive to do the latter. Even my TV has high resolution. Can I do no better? With this in mind, I resolve to be more moderate in my future postings to stupid, idiotic PC ranters who are too dumb to see the wisdom of my Mensa-quality reasoning. I'll even ignore their puerile spelling. How's that? I'm trying.......
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Jan 2 2007, 10:25 AM) [snapback]369627[/snapback]</div> I will, when I get some time. Thanks for the inspiration!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(livelychick @ Jan 2 2007, 12:16 PM) [snapback]369596[/snapback]</div> I'm going to drive my Prius more, and leave the gas-hog Convertble Mustang in the driveway!
I'm trying to learn how to better stand up for myself in situations when I'm confronted by an authority figure that tasks me/confronts me with something that's actually not my responsibility and probably sets me up for failure. Also, I tend to blur the lines between my professional responsibilites and my personal dignity by tolerating comments at my expense by my male superiors, for example, which I'm feeling less and less like I have to accept...and worse, I end up simmering in my own resentment afterwards. My resolution is perhaps a bit more complex than I'm suggesting, but I've decided to re-examine personal relationships in my life at work and outside of the office, too. And, more specifically, react more "on the fly" --- in the moment --- by trusting my instincts and emotions. Instead of going home that night on the train and logically processing the situation in hindsight. I'm also willing to accept the consequences of one or two "friends" becoming more distant based upon changes in myself. The goal is to make sure that (and I know this may sound selfish) there's an emotional equality present -- and enforced -- that doesn't force either party to compromise parts of themselves that no one should call upon one to compromise. I've always been a people pleaser; a retriever; someone who likes to be liked. I think that I'm now prepared to sacrifice a percentage of "liked" in order to replace it with "respected." I am, to paraphrase Proust, working to internalize the belief that, "...Experience is not what people might [now] call a learning process --- and certainly NOT a process whereby one learns to change --- but it is the process by which one learns what one is unalterably like." Not only am I working to learn what I am unalterably like, but I've also vowed to do my best to accept it. The latter is, perhaps, my biggest obstacle...because sometimes 'accepting oneself' means alienating others who have come to expect someone different.
I actually started my resolutions in November as a test run. I've stopped drinking sodas/colas/pops/Cokes (or anyother word you have for the carbonated liquid sugar). I haven't bought any for the house in months. I'll have the occasional one at a restaurant or other such places. So that's a good start. However, when asked what my resolutions are, my non-serious (I mean typical) answer is this: Everyday I'm going to turn over a new leaf. So far I have 2 upside-down leaves and 363 to go.
In my family we all made resolutions. I never managed to stick to mine. What's the point of making a resolution you cannot keep? So I lightened them by always including the word "try." (I will try to lose weight, instead of I will lose weight.) But that didn't help much, except that I could say I did try, and therefore had kept my resolution. But that sounded hollow. So I quit making resolutions. One year my new year's resolution was: "I resolve to make no resolutions this year." I thereby, in one act, both broke my resolution in the making of it, and acknowledged the pointlessness of my making resolutions. Though if making a resolution can help you to achieve a goal, go for it. It just doesn't work for me. ... Maybe if I were to resolve to be a worse person this year than I was last year??? ... Yeah, that's it. I hereby resolve to be a worse person this year than I was last year.
"San Francisco group resolves not to buy anything new for one year" http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews...ia/16362645.htm I could easily do this.For most of my life Ive purchased used items .Now Recycle Reuse has become an environmental philosophy.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mojo @ Jan 2 2007, 12:36 PM) [snapback]369695[/snapback]</div> Sounds like a good idea for manufactured products. Less so for consumables like food and toothpaste, or personal care items like toothbrushes.
Time to think is always good. If we decide to make some positive changes in our lives, so much the better. It doesn't really matter if the introspection is brought on by the new year, or your birthday, or even a quiet holiday. Resolving NOT to change doesn't make much sense, unless of course you're already perfect.
I got in a bit of trouble in Catholic School when one year for Lent I resolved to give up self-denial. Sister Mary Oppression was none to thrilled. For 2007, I have resolved to spend less time on Priuschat. I have already blown that one. PintoGirl, check out this book. I have read it and I found it very well written, funny at times, and very educational. It might not seem like a book you'd want to read but go to the bookstore or library and browse it for a while to decide if you want it. Personally, I think that if you want to keep your first resolution, you will read it. Additionally, I project that once you get through the book and complete resolution number one, number two just might become less of an issue. And since it's written from a woman's perspective, it might appeal to you a little more. http://www.amazon.com/Winning-Every-Time-S...TF8&s=books
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hyo silver @ Jan 2 2007, 05:40 PM) [snapback]369814[/snapback]</div> Sorry to pick nits here, but resolving not to change does not mean you think you're perfect: it means you're satisfied with how you are. Or, alternatively, it can be an attempt to practice reverse psychology on yourself. Or maybe for reasons of your own, you want to make the world a worse place, starting with yourself. A philanderer and a profligate might find his life so enjoyable that he resolves not to change even though he knows that he's living a self-destructive and morally untenable life. Of course, for most of us, what we resolve means nothing because we won't keep our resolutions, which, in conclusion, is another legitimate reason to resolve not to change: because even that resolution (for most of us anyway) is just more hot air.
Oh, come on, Eeyore, you can do it. Smile. Be more than living proof that money can't buy happiness. I dare ya.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hyo silver @ Jan 2 2007, 09:05 PM) [snapback]369899[/snapback]</div> Who's Eeyore? Money can't buy happiness, but it sure can buy a lot of fun.
You've never read Winnie the Pooh? I'm going to try to recycle more. We can put regular cans in the blue bin now so I'm going to wash them out and recycle them rather than toss them. I'm also going to haul my stuff to recycling more often rather than just relying on the blue cans. That includes the yard clippings. They'll make mulch out of them. I'm also going to continue to work on the house so I can decorate for Christmas next year. (Back allowing.)
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mojo @ Jan 2 2007, 03:36 PM) [snapback]369695[/snapback]</div> Wow. Good idea...I have never thought of that... I could TOTALLY do this, with just a little forethought and planning. As far as toothbrushes, I get a new one every time I go to the dentist, anyway, so I wouldn't have to buy one. So I may add this to my one "floss" resolution. Hmmmm....
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Jan 2 2007, 11:31 PM) [snapback]369935[/snapback]</div> Me? Nope. Always considered it rather vapid. What's the connection?