Realities of Resolute Resolutions

During a recent work meeting, a colleague asked another if they had made any New Year’s reso­lutions. His response was simple, yet profoundly thought-provoking: instead of resolutions, he chose to focus on his most important goal for the year—spending more time doing what he loves. I was grateful the question wasn’t directed at me. How do you top that?

It turns out he’s not alone in his aversion to resolutions. According to CBS News, about 50% of Amer­icans skip the annual tradition. This year, I happened to land on the oth­er side of the coin. Some recent lab results prompted me to take stock and consider changes to my life­style.

For most resolution-makers, the goal is clear: better health—phys­ically and mentally—through im­proved diet and exercise. Yet, sta­tistics reveal a sobering trend: most resolutions are abandoned after just 3-4 months. Experts suggest setting realistic, achievable goals, broken into smaller, manageable steps.

My top resolution? Drink more water. I’ve long fallen short of the recommended daily intake, so I invested in a fancy and fun stain­less-steel water bottle as a Christ­mas gift to myself. It keeps water ice-cold for hours and features a scale on the side displaying how much I should drink down by cer­tain times of day. It also includes encouraging prompts urging me to keep up the good work. So far, I ha­ven’t quite hit the 64-ounce mark on a daily consecutive streak, but I’m already drinking far more wa­ter than before which I’m counting as a big win.

My second resolution is inspired by the many environmental stories I’ve covered, from the impending closure of a local dump to discus­sions on recycling and composting. A particularly impactful moment came during a speech I heard high­lighting the dangers of single-use plastics. The speaker reminded us that the plastic cup used by our grandparents likely still exists to­day, with microplastics continuing to pollute the planet.

While my household recycles dil­igently, I aim to take it a step fur­ther: finding creative ways to repur­pose more items otherwise destined for the landfill. A recent success? Repurposing the plastic (unrecycla­ble) stand from my Jeopardy Trivia 2024 desk calendar and the decora­tive cover of another 2024 calendar to create a stand for my dog’s clay paw print memorial. The remaining cover doubled as a bookmark.

Answer: This girl may lack craft­ing skills but is excited to get more creative in 2025.

Question: Who is ME?

I feel like these are achievable goals because both are important to me. In thinking about what my colleague said, and coupling what I love to do with other ways I could become healthier, I’ve discovered that some goals are clear double whammies.

One of the top suggestions from experts is to spend more time out­doors for better health. Count me in! I love walking and hunting for Lake Superior Agates. Also, there are many lakes around here I’ve wanted to explore with my kayak, and perhaps a fishing pole. I’ve mentioned a few times how much I enjoy foraging and hunting in the area. There are many, many, ways that I can work on my health while I do things I love to do.

Though it’s hard to find time to do those things we enjoy, keeping a goal of trying to prioritize time to do so is a great start. Even if I don’t achieve these goals perfectly—just like I may not empty my water bot­tle twice every day—any amount of progress still counts. Striving to do more than before is a resolution worth keeping.