It's that time of year again. It has been nearly a week since the New Year rolled in and this is usually the point where 75 percent of Americans who made them are lamenting their broken New Year's resolutions.
The main problem with resolutions is that people tend to set the bar too high and set unrealistic goals.
"I'm going to be skinny, healthy, organized, giving, rich, and famous," they slur over a New Year's toast.
A week later they realize they've doomed themselves to failure, they become depressed and down on themselves, and they lapse into even more destructive behavior such as drinking, eating too much, and watching reality television.
But there are ways to modify your resolution that will ensure that you will succeed every time. It's not too late to make the necessary modifications.
The easiest way to succeed at keeping your resolution is to set the bar lower. For example, instead of resolving to "become skinny" or "lose 50 pounds," just say, "I resolve to lose weight this year." This keeps it wide open. Let's say you lose 5 pounds in March because you have the stomach flu. Bam! Success. You lost weight during the year, thus you achieved your goal and deserve to celebrate with a banana split. Doesn't success feel good?
Here's another one. Let's say you resolved to be more organized in the New Year. What you need to do is, get really unorganized for the first part of the year. Let the laundry pile up, lose a bill or two, forget to feed your cat a few times; you know, ignore unimportant things. Let this go on for a couple of weeks, then bounce back and resume normal activity. Bam! You are now more organized without really even having to change.
Another way to go about it would be to resolve to be a more giving person. This one is tricky because you really need to plan for it a year in advance. So let's say you want to be more giving in 2014. So this year, you are going to have to be really harsh with people. When your best friend loses his job and needs to borrow a couple of bucks, the answer this year would be, no can do. Your mother needs money for her medication. The answer this year? No can do. Kid need braces in 2013? No can do. Then when next New Year's Eve gets here, you resolve to be more giving in 2014. So in 2014, friend gets the loan, mom gets the meds, and junior gets the braces. You have succeeded. You are now more giving.
Another way to achieve success and keep your resolution is to follow my example. This year, as I do every year, I resolved to not make any resolutions. My track record is impeccable. I have always followed through with this resolution.
Best of luck in the new year!
- Disclaimer for those about to write a nasty e-mail to the author or the editor: Please note that this column is written with a hint of sarcasm. For those who do not understand the process, the idea is to show how nonsensical an item or a process is by pointing to its flaws by using irony or bitter derision. The author is not suggesting people don't feed their cat or ignore a friend in need. She is suggesting that resolutions are ridiculous. Get it now? Ha ha? For more information on sarcasm, contact the author at btodd@tds.net.
Apparently, it is not enough to tolerate, accept, or even endorse the gay agenda. Now, unless you tolerate and accept criminal behavior committed by gays, you are a hater.
Believe it — that is the very public argument being made in behalf of Florida high school cheerleader Kaitlyn Hunt, 18, who faces criminal charges for having sex with a 14-year-old girl.
Word on the street and in the media is that it will be a really bad summer for mosquitoes. Or should I say, it will be a really bad summer for humans, because it will be a great year for thirsty mosquitoes.
When Barack Obama announced his presidential campaign back in February 2007, he did it in front of the old Springfield, Ill., Statehouse in a speech full of references to Abraham Lincoln.
Ordinarily I don’t take requests, but a bunch of people have written to ask how I’m doing with my weight-loss surgery and I thought this might be the most efficient way to answer.
I am a grandmother who went to the Brownsburg graduation ceremony on June 7 and due to very poor planning on Brownsburg School’s part, I could not sit and watch my twin grandsons graduate in person. I was directed to an overflow room where I had to watch it on a TV screen and could not even take pictures.
What you are now hearing across the land is a collective whine. Blue-state Democrats are upset that Texas Gov. Rick Perry dares come and play in their sandboxes, and worse, threatens to “poach” jobs from their states.
The website Politico reports that Perry’s attempts to lure jobs to Texas are “infuriating to prominent Democrats around the country.”
I am the first to admit I am behind the times when it comes to technology. I remember way back in the olden days of the 1990s when I was actually ahead of the game. Now there are second-graders that are more tech savvy than me. I just decided to stop my forward technological progression a few years back.
College graduates facing a crushing debt – some more than $100,000 – is a very big and a very real problem.
But U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s recent proposal to deal with it won’t solve the problem. It is a cheap ploy to divert attention from the real problem.
An NPR broadcast examines the question of how communities can better prepare for tornadoes like the one that struck Moore, Okla. on Monday. The broadcast features commentary from Michael Fitzgerald, who reported a five-part disaster series for the CNHI News Service.
Commentary
Discussion
How to keep your resolution without really trying
By Rebecca Todd CNHI
It's that time of year again. It has been nearly a week since the New Year rolled in and this is usually the point where 75 percent of Americans who made them are lamenting their broken New Year's resolutions.
The main problem with resolutions is that people tend to set the bar too high and set unrealistic goals.
"I'm going to be skinny, healthy, organized, giving, rich, and famous," they slur over a New Year's toast.
A week later they realize they've doomed themselves to failure, they become depressed and down on themselves, and they lapse into even more destructive behavior such as drinking, eating too much, and watching reality television.
But there are ways to modify your resolution that will ensure that you will succeed every time. It's not too late to make the necessary modifications.
The easiest way to succeed at keeping your resolution is to set the bar lower. For example, instead of resolving to "become skinny" or "lose 50 pounds," just say, "I resolve to lose weight this year." This keeps it wide open. Let's say you lose 5 pounds in March because you have the stomach flu. Bam! Success. You lost weight during the year, thus you achieved your goal and deserve to celebrate with a banana split. Doesn't success feel good?
Here's another one. Let's say you resolved to be more organized in the New Year. What you need to do is, get really unorganized for the first part of the year. Let the laundry pile up, lose a bill or two, forget to feed your cat a few times; you know, ignore unimportant things. Let this go on for a couple of weeks, then bounce back and resume normal activity. Bam! You are now more organized without really even having to change.
Another way to go about it would be to resolve to be a more giving person. This one is tricky because you really need to plan for it a year in advance. So let's say you want to be more giving in 2014. So this year, you are going to have to be really harsh with people. When your best friend loses his job and needs to borrow a couple of bucks, the answer this year would be, no can do. Your mother needs money for her medication. The answer this year? No can do. Kid need braces in 2013? No can do. Then when next New Year's Eve gets here, you resolve to be more giving in 2014. So in 2014, friend gets the loan, mom gets the meds, and junior gets the braces. You have succeeded. You are now more giving.
Another way to achieve success and keep your resolution is to follow my example. This year, as I do every year, I resolved to not make any resolutions. My track record is impeccable. I have always followed through with this resolution.
Best of luck in the new year!
- Disclaimer for those about to write a nasty e-mail to the author or the editor: Please note that this column is written with a hint of sarcasm. For those who do not understand the process, the idea is to show how nonsensical an item or a process is by pointing to its flaws by using irony or bitter derision. The author is not suggesting people don't feed their cat or ignore a friend in need. She is suggesting that resolutions are ridiculous. Get it now? Ha ha? For more information on sarcasm, contact the author at btodd@tds.net.
Will the current V.A. backlog on veterans’ compensation claims be the next scandal to hit the administration?
Currently, the backlog is at 865,000 plus compensation claims with a wait time of greater than 125 days.
June 18, 2013
Apparently, it is not enough to tolerate, accept, or even endorse the gay agenda. Now, unless you tolerate and accept criminal behavior committed by gays, you are a hater.
Believe it — that is the very public argument being made in behalf of Florida high school cheerleader Kaitlyn Hunt, 18, who faces criminal charges for having sex with a 14-year-old girl.
June 18, 2013
Word on the street and in the media is that it will be a really bad summer for mosquitoes. Or should I say, it will be a really bad summer for humans, because it will be a great year for thirsty mosquitoes.
June 14, 2013
As a Christian, I feel compelled to respond to a recent letter to the editor.
June 14, 2013
When Barack Obama announced his presidential campaign back in February 2007, he did it in front of the old Springfield, Ill., Statehouse in a speech full of references to Abraham Lincoln.
June 14, 2013
Ordinarily I don’t take requests, but a bunch of people have written to ask how I’m doing with my weight-loss surgery and I thought this might be the most efficient way to answer.
June 11, 2013
I am a grandmother who went to the Brownsburg graduation ceremony on June 7 and due to very poor planning on Brownsburg School’s part, I could not sit and watch my twin grandsons graduate in person. I was directed to an overflow room where I had to watch it on a TV screen and could not even take pictures.
June 11, 2013
What you are now hearing across the land is a collective whine. Blue-state Democrats are upset that Texas Gov. Rick Perry dares come and play in their sandboxes, and worse, threatens to “poach” jobs from their states.
The website Politico reports that Perry’s attempts to lure jobs to Texas are “infuriating to prominent Democrats around the country.”
June 11, 2013
I am the first to admit I am behind the times when it comes to technology. I remember way back in the olden days of the 1990s when I was actually ahead of the game. Now there are second-graders that are more tech savvy than me. I just decided to stop my forward technological progression a few years back.
June 7, 2013
College graduates facing a crushing debt – some more than $100,000 – is a very big and a very real problem.
But U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s recent proposal to deal with it won’t solve the problem. It is a cheap ploy to divert attention from the real problem.
June 7, 2013
Follow me on Twitter
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An NPR broadcast examines the question of how communities can better prepare for tornadoes like the one that struck Moore, Okla. on Monday. The broadcast features commentary from Michael Fitzgerald, who reported a five-part disaster series for the CNHI News Service.
May 22, 2013 1 Photo
Complete Report:
Part I: Are We Prepared? | Part II: Disaster Dollars
Part III: Lessons Learned | Part IV: Warning Signs
Part V: The Big One
HBO and his managers say James Gandolfini -- best known for his role as Tony Soprano in the TV series "The Sopranos" -- has died in Italy at age 51.
June 19, 2013 1 Photo
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