Resolution Update

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     In changing a habit, or in this case, recharging one, it is good to celebrate little victories.
     On New Year’s Day, I made a resolution to resume my habit of writing everyday and posted such on this blog.
     I am happy to report that I have, so far, written everyday. That daily writing has resulted in nine blog posts. That surpasses the number of posts for all of 2017 was at a all time low of just eight posts. Also, the number of page views is the second highest ever and may actually beat my all tie high month because a post about the Detroit Lion’s suddenly become not awful went viral, relatively speaking. The post on Ara Topouzian has the most page views and the one about taking our grandson to Disneyland for his third birthday is number two.
      I made other resolutions as well. But, I did not make them public nor do i plan to. They are the typical resolutions many people make. And like many people, my performance on these other resolutions have been so-so to dismal.
     I am OK with this. Many of our resolutions are about changing habits that are very well established and very hard to change. We tend to believe that stating a resolution firmly is all that is needed and, presto, the habit is changed and everyone lives happily ever after. With this mindset and approach, it is no surprise that by this point in January most everyone has abandoned their resolutions.
     We should view it as a continuous improvement process where we get a little bit better every day. This allows us to gradually, but steadily, wean ourselves of a bad habit while simultaneously replacing it with a better one. It seems to make more sense to me. Or it just may be a rationalization for not really getting going on these other resolutions.
      A resolution is something we have resolved to do. A quick search on definition of resolve yielded “decide firmly on a course of action.” Decide firmly. Then stick to it. Make it happen. Or as the Nike folks say, Just Do It.
      I have often downplayed the Nike slogan. But, maybe it is right. In a 2011 movie, Friends with Benefits, Woody Harrelson played Justin Timberlakes boss. At one point near the end, the Woody character gave the following little sermon:

Hey, everybody wants a short cut in life.My guide book is very simple:You wanna lose weight? Stop eating, fatty!You wanna make money? Work your ass off, lazy!You wanna be happy? Find someone you like and never let him go. Or her…

     Or as Yoda said, “Do or do not. There is no try.”  So I should lace-up my physical and mental Nike's and Just Do It.