New Year's Resolutions

Happy New Year to one and all!! Well, we managed to get through another year. How many of us view the past year in those terms? As we near the end of each year, we tend to reflect on what we have seen, heard, accomplished, gained or lost in the past year. Even TV and
newspapers treat us to scenes and stories of various events that have past into history within the past year. Another tradition that is practiced by an unknown number of us is that we "make new year's resolutions".

What does it mean, to "make one or more resolutions"? What steps does it require to make just one resolution? After making whatever number of resolutions, does it require any additional effort or time? There are many other questions we could ask so as to understand the significance of our "making a resolution".

At this point, it is suggested you take a moment to grab a dictionary and look at the number of meanings of the word "resolution". I bet you are surprised when you read all the meanings given. I know I was. But to focus on the meaning usually understood by many of us, it simply means to make a promise to ourself to change one or more of our habits that we believe is problematic.

Of course, the first step we have made, or should make, is to identify (admit to ourself) any
habit(s) we feel would be to our benefit to change. If there is more than one habit you plan to change, it would be best if you would write them down so as to keep track of them. The other advantage to writng them dowm is that you will be able to review them. It should be realized that changing any of our habits may benefit others as well as ourself. This first step is one of the more crucial steps in "making a resolution".

Now, while reviewing the list, mentally weight each entry in terms of its importance. Write the number "1" to the left of the one that is considered the most important. Write the number "2" to the left of the one that is considered the next of importance and so on. After numbering all the entries, it would help to rewrite the list so that the most important was at the top. It is further recommended to put the list aside for a period of time, a couple of hours or at the most, a day. The second time the list is reviewed you may believe the order of entries should be changed. This step is OK. You are simply refining, readjusting the list. If you decide to change the importance of any entries, make sure to renumber the the entries.

If the recommendations noted above have been followed, much has been accomplished. To have reached this point is a monumental step in the right direction. You are on your way to making life better / easier for youself and those around you. Or are you?

So far: bad or ineffective habits have been identified; a list of them has been created; and the entries have been weighted in terms of importance. But now comes the part that is a little tricky. Are you willing to do whatever it takes to adopt any change in the manner in which you usually live your life? If your answer is YES, you are to be commended.

OK, let's begin. The next recommendation is most important. It is crucial that one should not, must not, dare not attempt to change more than one habit at a time. It is virtually predictable that failure will occur if an attempt to work on more than one is made. It is reasonable to work on the one that was listed as the most important first. When it has been successfully changed, then and only then, start to work on the next most important.

Anything that is worth doing is worth doing right. Attempting to change a habit is challenging. It may require a significant deal of time but think of the end result. Stick to your guns once you start. Do not begin to make excuses to delay or to give up trying. Changing a habit is nothing more than a constant effort to remind one's self to desist committing the habit. It is a mental exercise that will strengthen your will power just as physical exercise will strengthen your muscles.

You may wonder why I chose the word "Resolution" for this blog's focus. While it will certainly serve to overcome any and all habits that tend to detract from a satisfying life's existance, I chose it so as to cause the reader to reflect on the possible habit of not voting at all or voting without any belief that the one(s) for whom the vote is made will demonstrate a dynamic and truthful work ethic.

To not vote at all or to vote with no knowledge of the past work history of the one(s) for whom we vote may be compared to playing "Russian roulette"!! If anyone who reads this blog is a true gambler and places no value on their existence or the manner in which they prefer to live their lives, then this writer has spent his time and the reader has read the foregoing needlessly.

Rather than attempt to exist in a lifestyle dictated by others, namely the politicians in Harrisburg, it would be far more beneficial to spend some time to research the work history of those in office and then be able to make an informed decision for whom to cast a vote. Let's all make a resolution to vote for those who, by their example and not just their words, have been truthfully working for us, their employers.

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John