New Year’s Resolutions – where and what would you be without them?
In the past I’ve resolved to read more books, clean my room, work harder at school, put $2,000 in the bank, call my mom every Sunday, be better at staying in touch with old friends, stay home one night of every weekend, and lay off the home fries. It’s a shortened list, minus some rather personal ambitions, but even with these limited offerings I’d say I’m only about four for seven – give or take a few phone calls, the odd binge weekend, and about $400.
In the major leagues I’d be batting third in the lineup with an average like that, but in real life I’m just a minor league alternate. Four for seven is pathetic – it’s not even 60 per cent! The North American average, according to ABC News, is actually closer to 64 per cent, and I’m someone who takes pride in my willpower.
This year I’m resolving to keep my New Year’s resolutions, past and present. Otherwise I’ll be forced to concede that I lack what some old timers refer as "stick-to-it-iveness" – persistence and determination when confronted by my own weak will. It’s kind of like that scene in Superman III where the good Clark Kent and evil Superman battle it out for the soul of the Man of Steel, trashing a junkyard in the process.
I’m a huge believer in New Year’s resolutions, and will continue to make them until I die (although I imagine in the last few years I’ll probably resolve myself to being nicer to squirrels and telling those teenagers a thing or two). It’s only natural; after two weeks of binge drinking and stuffing your face with assorted saturated fats and bean dips, it’s inevitable that you will wake up on New Year’s Day, head throbbing and eyes stinging from the light, look into the mirror and say to yourself, "My God! There’s gotta be some changes!"
www.hiaspire.com/newyear/
If your goal is to stop smoking, chances are that the people closest to you will be aware of it, and unless they work for a tobacco company, are happy to give you a little support and encouragement here and there. If your goal is to be able to jog to the park and back without puking, to stop picking your nose, or to curb your rampant satyric/nymphomaniac tendencies, you probably want to keep it between you and the mirror. HiAspire.com can help keep your resolutions on track by sending you regular email reminders and encouragement throughout the year. If you want to eat healthier, stop smoking, exercise more, save money, or partake in any other generic resolution, they will also send you relevant information, plus hints and tips to get you started and keep you on track. If your resolution is a little more esoteric, then at the very least they will send you an occasional pat on the back.
www.shape.com, www.menshealth.com
According to a HiAspire.com compilation of 16,000 resolutions, the two most popular New Year’s resolutions are to exercise more (18 per cent) and to diet (15 per cent). Studies have shown that good health is not a matter of moving more or eating less, but a combination of moving and eating better. The above sites are full of health tips and articles on everything from exercising to eating more healthfully, taking into account the fact that you probably don’t have a selection of Nautilus machines at home or two hours to spend in the kitchen every night. The articles often take a holistic approach, matching exercises with proper stretching and a proper diet to match the level of intensity. Whatever your health goal – whether it’s being able to touch your toes or the ability to crack walnuts on your washboard stomach – there is something in one of these sites for you. By the way, Shape is a woman’s magazine and Men’s Health is not.
www.moneyminded.com
If you’re like me, a penny saved is just another penny waiting to be blown. Right behind exercising and dieting, sitting at 12 per cent on the HiAspire.com site, is the promise to save money. Although this is easier said than done living in a town like Whistler, where the high cost of living is surpassed only by the high cost of gear, MoneyMinded.com helps out by calculating a budget for you, reviewing investment strategies, and suggesting innovative new ways to keep it in your pants.
www.aa.org
This is the official website of the AA. I know what you’re thinking: I never fly American Airlines, because they have better booze on Continental. But this AA is for people who have a problem with drinking or drugs to the extent that it is affecting their lives, their jobs, their friends and their families. While Alcoholics Anonymous is not everyone, it is definitely for anyone, regardless of your addiction, your race, your religion, your age, your gender or your lifestyle. A good friend of mine, an occasional social drinker who used to go a little overboard once and a while, went through the program and he’s happier, healthier, and finally doing something productive with his life. While I’m lucky that I don’t suffer from an addictive personality (hot sauce and Playstation aside) if I ever thought that I was developing one, I would have no problem following in my friend’s footsteps. Who knows? Maybe I’d wind up hanging out with an ex-member of Guns N’ Roses.
