Want to make 2017 better than 2016?
Yeah, I thought so. This past year has been so tough on so many fronts. I dare not touch on them specifically—I like to stay out of controversy's way—but I have no doubt that you'll agree.
Have you made any new resolutions? I stopped making them years ago. That's because I began to notice that the same themes kept cropping up. I simply got bored with the repetition.
I've begun to accept that by now my so-called habits are uniquely my own, and it's time to accept them. That doesn't mean I don't want to continue to grow and learn new things and that there isn't room for improvement. But it does mean I am tired of beating a dead horse. (Ugh, sorry for the cliche.)
But it's not that way for everyone. I researched the most popular New Year's resolutions. I suppose that hope dies hard (another cliche alert!), and those New Year's resolutions keep on coming.
Here are the most popular ones (and why they often fail):
1. Exercise more. Exercise works wonders for your mood, stamina, heart health and more. There are countless ways to get moving. Take bowling, for instance: It's the perfect sport—combining physical activity with chicken wings and beer!
2. Get more organized. Instead of wasting time with lists, commit your ever-growing to-do list to memory. You're good at details, and it's likely you'll never miss a beat. Or an appointment.
3. Get healthy. One easy way to do this is to eat more salads. To make them super yummy and less boring, pile on a creamy dressing. This way you'll be sure to eat all your veggies, even the ones you never liked. (P.S. Don't forget to leave room for extra croutons!)
4. Relax more. Nothing says "relaxed" better than "couch potato." Binge-watch your favorite show while you munch on your favorite snack—straight out of the bag—and wait for the pizza delivery truck.
5. Learn more hobbies. You've always wanted to learn new games. This year, why not perfect your beer pong skills? (It's great for hand-eye coordination.)
6. Spend less/save more. Spend less on the things you truly need and more on the things you really want. And to save more time, shop online; it can be done right from the comfort of your couch (see number 4, above).
7. Read more. Reading is an ideal way of exercising your brain and possibly even warding off Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. But to reap the ultimate benefits, limit your reading to incendiary, unnecessary attacks posted on social media. You'll never run out of material—and it's free!
8. Travel more. It's a wonderful way to see the world and expose yourself to other cultures. But forgo all the walking tours, which can really tire you out. After all, you can see plenty from the comfort of a tour bus.
9. Live life to the fullest. I have nothing bad to say about this one. It's a resolution I intend to remind myself about, over and over and over again. I don't often cite cliches, but this one—"Live today as though it was your last"—is a good one to remember.
