I’ve take this week off to rest up and look forward to 2018. The house looks like it has been ransacked (we had a great Christmas) and the family is sleeping late. I’m up early, thinking about the year and wondering what 2018 will bring. I’ll be honest, 2017 wasn’t particularly easy. It’s enough to make you dread the coming year.
But dreading the coming year is declaring defeat before the game even starts. So as I work on my New Year’s Resolutions (yes, I do those), I’ve decided that 2018 will be my best year yet. You have to have a solid foundation to start with after all.
What do I have in my favor? A great family. Jobs I love. Health. Resources. Those are all good places to start. What do I want to change? I want to improve on all I just listed. OK, that’s done. Now to apply measurable goals to my resolutions.
Here’s a rough list of seven things I’ve come up with so far.
1. Get my stuff together
What: To get my financial affairs in order. Why: After closing out my parents’ estate this year, the best thing my children can inherit is an organized estate — and less junk in our house. Budgets need to be made and lived by. Plans made. How: Get estate in order. When: Have everything done by April 15 (Tax Day seems to be a logical day to get everything finished.
2. Take control of my health
What: To not be a statistic. To lose 10 more pounds and to run a marathon. Why: Being a Mississippi citizen, I want to buck the unhealthy reputation we have. I want energy and health to be the hallmark of life after 50, not misery, pills and pain. And I want to have the strength to be a better father and husband. How: Eat little to no sugar. Exercise at least 30 minutes every day. Stretch. Practice breathing (meditation). My friend (and cardiologist) has challenged me to run a marathon with him in May. Training for that has begun. When: Every day from January 1 to December 31.
3. Read more.
What: Read at least 24 books in 2018. Why: Self-improvement — knowledge is power. How: Make a list of the books I want to knock out and start reading. When: Starting today.
4. Dust off the Serenity Prayer
What: Stop allowing the news to stress me out. Why: Worrying is wasting life. How: Quit worrying about things I can’t control and start attacking problems I can change. When: Now.
5. Use my talent more
What: Living the Parable of the Talents and living up to my potential. Why: Life is a precious, fleeting gift. I should be using my talents more than I am. How: Draw one cartoon per day in 2018. Paint one picture this year. Put more time and effort into my radio and TV shows. Write one post per day and one column per week. Produce a new book by November 2018. Quit staring mindlessly at the TV and Social Media. When: Starting January 2.
6. Be a better husband, father and friend.
What: Focus on other people, and live the Golden Rule. Be there for my friends and family. Why: I’ve watched someone I know suffer because she turned inward. Watching her last days taught me the secret to life is giving. In my world, that is my time and my presence. Your presence is the best presents you can give. How: Budgeting my time better. And when I am there, I should be THERE. (A.k.a put down the phone! — a particularly bad addiction I have). When: Now.
7. Be proactive warrior
What: Don’t say you’re going to do something, just (as Nike Says) do it. This one applies directly to number four. Why: I have a bad tendency of worrying about things instead of just getting them done. That causes stress. And that stress can cause health problems. I’ve discovered there is an incredible energy in knocking things off your to-do list. How: Create daily prioritized to-do list and attacking it with 100% of my passion. When: January 1.
New Year’s Resolutions usually lie rottening the gutter by January 31st. Gym parking lots are empty. Scales see numbers that resemble the year before’s bloated numbers. (or are larger.) The road to Hell is paved with good resolutions (intentions, but I think resolutions work in this case.) But it’s time for all of us to stand up and make the changes we talk about on Social Media. My list is pretty basic: Get organize, get healthy, read more, stop worrying about things I can’t change, use my talent, be there for people I care about and be proactive. But if I follow through, I won’t just change my life. I’ll change the lives of the people I care about.
That’s a resolution worth keeping.
Happy New Year! Thanks for reading my work and have a blessed 2018.