As with all holiday seasons, this one will close with a new beginning, the start of yet another New Year. 2016 is only days away. This offers a good time to reflect on the New Year’s resolutions others have shared.
Surprisingly, many still come up with New Year’s resolutions. Some give it other names, such as “commitments” to oneself, or “new beginnings,” even “life adjustments.” One even describes this as a time to “reset our bearings.”
Quite a diverse group of people from Wading River to Orient have offered their thoughts here. Of course, a few commented that their New Year’s resolution was to make no resolutions. Yet, quite a few did.
Hopefully, the list below will be thought-provoking enough to help us get more from life, and give more as well, and perhaps allow a rare occasion to be introspective:
Let’s start with an eight-year-old from Mattituck – “I promised my grandparents I would spend three hours a day with my cell phone and computer off. I’m glad it won’t have to be three hours in a row.”
A nurse practitioner from Calverton: “I have to put my daily and weekly to-do list on a schedule and stick with it. It’s not worth the stress to put things off all the time. Procrastination makes everything hang over my head. 2016 is the end of that.”
A county worker from Riverhead: “Dinnertime is the one part of the day the family will start to sit together again, no matter what. Cell phones off. Let the house phone ring.”
A working couple from Greenport: “On New Year’s Day, we start a real walking routine. We’ll focus on posture, breathing, perfect walking form, no bottles of water or coffee cups in hand. We’ll have to get up forty-five minutes earlier in the AM, but it will be fresh East End air and a special part of the day together.”
A recently retired teacher from Southold: “At long last I have the time to do two things I’ve always wanted to do – reading one good book after another, and trying to volunteer at two or three different places. I haven’t finally decided where, but I will decide that by the end of the day on January 1st, contact them on the 2nd, and start on the 3rd.”
A 12 year-old from Northville: “I’m going to try to be nice to everybody, including people I don’t like very much.”
A home health aide from Greenport: “My husband and I are going to give less focus on spending money on our kids, when that’s possible, and more focus on spending time with them. They’re growing up so incredibly fast, and we really want to be much more a part of that, whenever we can, even with little things.”
A young farm worker from Cutchogue: “I want to take a few minutes a day to be still and quiet. Just a few minutes to meditate, like I read about people doing. Each time I do it, where I try not to think about anything except breathing in and out, I feel a lot better after it. I can see now that it takes practice. For the New Year, I want to meditate everyday, just for a little while.”
A high school student from Wading River: “I think my resolution for the New Year is to help my Mom with my younger sisters. What I can do to help is read to them before they go to sleep. They will really like that and so will my Mom. And it will help me to appreciate them more. Maybe we won’t fight as much after I start doing that.”
An electrician from Laurel: “I’m going to wise up about my weight problem. My resolutions in other years never worked in the long run because I fooled myself into thinking that dieting was the answer. That’s just part of it. It’s a whole lifestyle thing, with the three basics together: rest, diet and exercise. I’ve been working on a plan for each one and I promise myself and my family that starting in January, this is it.”
Owner of a business in Orient: “2016 will be the year I become more patient. I’m not going to let things get to me so much. This is hard with my kids and some of my employees, even our dog. It’s almost as if it’s a constant test. But I know if I can be more patient, I’ll feel better and so will everyone around me. I realize now that a short fuse can be a curse.”
A deli worker in Aquebogue: “Everyone in my family needs to get more sleep. So we plan to turn off the lights, TV, computers, everything, so we’re in bed by 10 p.m. It’s a big change for us, but we have to do it. 2016 is when we are no longer the walking dead.”
There’s something to be said for those who take upon themselves the kind of commitments we see here. Maybe it was explained by the ancient Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu, in a comment reminiscent of the late, great Yogi Berra: “If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.”
No matter what you resolve to do, and wherever you are heading, have a Merry Christmas, happy holidays and a healthy and very Happy New Year!
