The Dreaded New Year Resolution Question

Well, it's that time of year again when all us slackers are asked the dreaded New Years Resolution question: what do you plan to do to better yourself in the New Year?

Perhaps we dread this question because we are afraid of commitment. Or maybe it's because we don't want to fail. Maybe we simply don't care.

Whatever it is, it's time to let it go. A New Years Resolution doesn't have to be some big, intimidating goal (unless you want it to be - that's up to you, overachiever). What I'm trying to say is keep your goal realistic. Don't leave possibility for failure. Accomplishing something simple can be just as self-satisfying as completing a big task.

That said, I've come up with a simple yet important resolution for the New Year: I'm going to replace my apologies with "thank you's."

So, instead of saying "sorry I'm late," I'll say " thanks for waiting for me." Rather than saying "sorry I'm just having a bad day," I'll say "thank you for loving and caring about me unconditionally."

This is not to say I don't believe in apologies because I certainly believe people should acknowledge their faults. I do believe, however, we apologize for things far too often. So rather than constantly offering apologies, I'll save them for times when they are truly warranted. The rest of the times I'll offer gratitude instead.

I believe this will put more positivity into the world and will help me build better relationships. By offering gratitude, you are making the other person feel important, which is Dale Carnegie Principle #9 (see what I did there?). By showing appreciation, you are encouraging confidence and solidity in others. By constructing and maintaining positive relationships, you are building better communication skills for yourself.

So that's my resolution. It's simple, realistic, and completely attainable. It's set with good intent and is meant to benefit others (they get a compliment) as well as myself (I don't have to apologize for being late!).

Don't dread coming up with a resolution for the New Year. Keep it straightforward and painless. You'll be just fine.

Stay humble,

Hannah