Here Comes 2017

          I hope everyone had a great Christmas.  Aside from a mild case of food poisoning, mine was uneventful.

          As the year winds down and we start looking towards a new year, a funny thing happens in a lot of people’s minds.  I’m talking about New Year’s Resolutions.  I’m not a fan of New Year’s Resolutions.  In fact, the last one I made (and the only one I’ve ever successfully executed) was to never make another New Year’s Resolution.

          I used to be like most people.  I would wake up on New Year’s Day and tell myself “this year I’m going to quit smoking, lose weight and exercise more!”  Yeah, right.  I never did.  The fact of the matter is I’m not going to quit smoking until I’m ready.  I’m not going to lose weight until I change my attitude about food.  I do exercise more now than I used to, but not because of a New Years’ Resolution.  I exercise more now because I have other goals that require me to be in better shape.

          I gave up on New Year’s Resolutions mostly because I came to realize that any day I wake up alive, I have an opportunity for change.  I don’t have to wait until Monday, the 1^st of the month, the 1^st of the year or any other significant date to change.  I can change TODAY if I decide that’s what I want to do.

          Would I like to be able to look back and say “2017 was the year I …?”  Of course, but I also would like to have been able to say that about 2016, 2015, 2014…

          Are you making any New Year’s resolutions?  It’s okay if you are.  I won’t judge you.  In fact, I will do my best to encourage you to tackle them with gusto.