Erin Wooddell
“How do you feel about New Year’s resolutions?” one of my friends asked at happy hour last night.
For some reason, I thought she was going to ask what we normally resolve to do in the new year, not how we felt about the task. It took me a moment to determine my own feelings and then I realized I was fairly impartial. I’d tried making resolutions growing up, but they never stuck. As I got older, I stopped bothering to make them—especially serious ones that were hard to live up to.
Another friend said she tended to be against the practice. Her belief was if you wanted to start something new, why wait? Start today. You don’t need a refresh on the calendar to begin a new project or way of life.
Then, my friend who asked the question smiled sheepishly and said, “I LOVE them.”
For her, the task of starting over, wiping the slate clean and beginning again held so much joy and promise that she looked forward to evaluating what had happened in the past year, while looking ahead to the new one.
Intrigued by her enthusiasm and optimism, we asked what kind of resolutions she usually makes. Imagining the same response as most people, I was happily surprised when she said, “The same as last year: Write more hand-written notes and wear more red lipstick.”
“How do you feel about New Year’s resolutions?” one of my friends asked at happy hour last night.
For some reason, I thought she was going to ask what we normally resolve to do in the new year, not how we felt about the task. It took me a moment to determine my own feelings and then I realized I was fairly impartial. I’d tried making resolutions growing up, but they never stuck. As I got older, I stopped bothering to make them—especially serious ones that were hard to live up to.
Another friend said she tended to be against the practice. Her belief was if you wanted to start something new, why wait? Start today. You don’t need a refresh on the calendar to begin a new project or way of life.
Then, my friend who asked the question smiled sheepishly and said, “I LOVE them.”
For her, the task of starting over, wiping the slate clean and beginning again held so much joy and promise that she looked forward to evaluating what had happened in the past year, while looking ahead to the new one.
Intrigued by her enthusiasm and optimism, we asked what kind of resolutions she usually makes. Imagining the same response as most people, I was happily surprised when she said, “The same as last year: Write more hand-written notes and wear more red lipstick.”