New Years Resolutions

There are so many areas of need, so many projects that require attention and support. We all have so much spare time and how do we use it? As one year passes and another begins we set our selves a challenge, we define new years resolutions and we try to stick with them. Whether we aim to attend a gym, eat more fruit, drink less beer, or write more often, we set our hearts and minds on a noble end.

Yet how noble? We expect these wishes and plans to improve our lives, that they will make a difference in how we live and change things for the better. Most of us fail and give up rather than continue on for the full twelve months, with research showing that only twelve percent of our new years resolutions actually stick till the end of the year.

I know that last year's plan to write four hundred words a day failed, and I don't know how well that goal will be met this year. With these basically selfish goals failing on an annually repeating cycle how can we hope to effect any realistically worthwhile changes.

I suggest that for your next round of resolutions or personal improvement goals you set ones that benefit other people. Suggestions might include – host more gatherings, cook a meal every week for a none family member, once a month give time to a local charity or shelter, help elderly neighbours deal with their recycling each week.

What difference will this make? Well even if you stop doing this part way through the year at least for a short while you improved someone's life a little. If you doing good makes you feel better about yourself, and you even enjoy helping in this way then maybe you'll be able to stick with the plan.

Yes it all sounds like liberal hippy do-gooder nonsense, but this is the human race and we need all the help we can get. Who am I suggesting should go out and do these things? Me, I am just as likely to read this and shrug off my responsibility to help as any of you. So if I sound preachy and in your face I hope you'll realise the face I'm getting into most is my own.

And if you beat me to it; If you were looking for ideas as to what new years resolutions you might try out and picked something like the above; I wish you all the best. Also I wish you a Happy New year.

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