Resolving Resolutions

By Paul Ross, managing editor, Navy Medicine Magazine, U.S. Navy Bureau of 
Medicine and Surgery Public Affairs

Every year when the big ball drops in Times Square our New Year’s 
resolutions litter the ground with the confetti and party hats from the
 night when we are all supposed to get a fresh start. No matter how hard we 
try, these promises we make to ourselves disappear by the time the pork and 
sauerkraut are gone.

Most of us have been guilty of starting and then shortly giving up on a New
Year’s resolution. We all want to use the excuse of a new year as a fresh 
start to transform ourselves into the people we want to be. Most of us plan
 on hitting the gym more frequently or eating right. We hope to be a little 
kinder to our fellow man, or maybe commit ourselves more at work.

But giving this goal a title of “resolution” makes it more unattainable. Instead we need to realize that we can make these changes on April 20 just 
as easily as Jan. 1.

My wife and I have decided that this year we are going to try and be the
 best people we can. That encompasses living a healthier life through our 
diets and exercise. We are going to strive to be the ideal parents 
to our two great kids. We are going to try to be pillars of support in all of our relationships with our friends, family and each other.

But what we are not doing is making resolutions. We are simply trying to be 
better. No timeline, no “target date” to meet our goals. We are only using the 
first day of the year as a starting point for our journey to being the type of people we all want to be. This isn’t something that can be measured in a year. I’ve learned in my short time on this rock, that there’s always room for improvement. We can always get better, healthier 
and happier.

So instead of sharing your resolutions, let us know in the comments section 
how you plan on being the best person you can be, not only in 2012, but for 
many years to come.