How're You Doing?

Well we're ten days into the new year. We've put the Christmas decorations away (or we're going to soon), we've said goodbye to the college students and sent them back to the halls of learning, and we're hunkering down for the long haul of winter before we see spring.

All things considered, is 2018 everything you thought it would be? I know, I know. It's only been ten days. So let me ask a different way:

How're the New Year's Resolutions coming along? Are you plugging along at it, still seeing the hope of improvement and changes that will brighten this year?

Are you struggling along, just barely keeping up with the resolutions and wondering why on earth they were so important ten days ago?

Or have you already given up and decided to hope for the best in 2018 and plan again to make things better in 2019?

In case you're one of the ones already struggling to keep up with the resolutions, try tweaking them with some of these suggestions:

1. Make them more manageable. Instead of saying you're going to exercise for the year, just plan on exercising one day. Then maybe you can try it again in a few weeks.

2. Did you resolve to do better with finances? don't stress over a financial management system. Pay one bill today. Boom. You're killing it.

3. Everybody resolves to "eat healthier". Stop trying to choke down your vegetables. Cut your dessert in half. Eat half at lunch and then practice self-discipline by waiting until after supper to eat the other half.

4. Did you resolve to read more this year? It's not really cheating to do audiobooks. Just saying'.

5. Did you set a goal of getting more organized? Start with something small. Take down the rest of your Christmas decorations. Bonus points for actually putting the totes and boxes back into storage instead of letting them stand in a corner until March.

And if your resolutions just seem too far out of reach, you might want to remember the following dates:

February 16th - Chinese New Year

April 13th - Thai New Year

September 9th - Jewish New Year

Just in case you want to start those resolutions over again.

Your welcome.