new year's resolution

anyone who knows me well knows that i think new year's resolutions are, politely put, a crock of hooey - especially the ones that involve weight loss.* just because it's the new year, it doesn't mean anything is different. as one of my favorite quotes goes, "when you're sick and tired of being sick and tired, that's when you'll change."

one's sick-and-tiredness rarely coincides with the dawning of the new year.

but i like to go along with the crowd,** so each year i set a resolution in a bit of solidarity. for example: eat one vegetable a week.

a bit on goal-setting. give yourself every opportunity to achieve your goal by making it a s.m.a.r.t. one. smart stands for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound. let's revisit one vegetable a week. the goal was specific - eat veggies. the goal was measurable - one. the goal was achievable. the goal was realistic. the goal was time-bound - every week. perfect!

some other smart goals have been: eat at an alphabet of new (to me) restaurants in 2007 - which was harder than i expected; it took a lot of research and planning and asking people to dinn'r. that one was followed up with stay at home one night a week in 2008 - also harder than i expected.

with 2009 just around the corner, it's time to take the time to consider an appropriate resolution for 2009. nap on the couch with the dog once a week? drink no more than 300 days in 2009? go to church for a service other than christmas or easter? visit a new state? ride my bikes 2000 miles?

hhmmmm....

*a special note to everyone who works out regularly: hang in there, they'll be gone by mid-february
**uproarious laughter