I generally hate New Year\u2019s Resolutions, mostly because experience has taught me that I will fail to carry through. I don\u2019t like failing.<\/p>\n
It seems that we usually pick for resolutions something about which we are conflicted. The resolution may be about losing weight, which is the conflict of habit and genetics against a health or aesthetic ideal. Or it may be about exercising, or getting enough sleep, or devoting time for personal scripture study and meditation, or it may be about losing weight. Most Mormons are able to avoid the common resolutions<\/a> about drinking and smoking less, but we still want to spend more time with our families, get out of debt, and volunteer more.<\/p>\n But this year, in a moment of inspiration, I hit upon a resolution for this year, one that I believe I can actually keep. Here\u2019s the rub though: I can\u2019t tell you what it is. This isn\u2019t like blowing out the candles on your birthday cake and not telling anyone the wish because if you do, it won\u2019t come true. It\u2019s because speaking the resolution would be a violation of the resolution.<\/p>\n For example, let\u2019s say I had some difficulty getting along with a family member in the past, and my resolution is to not complain about that person any more. By saying, \u201cMy resolution is to complain about X,\u201d I am actually in a passive aggressive way complaining about X. Saying that I\u2019m not complaining implies that there is some grievance worth complaining about, and the resolution, while upheld technically, is spiritually shattered.<\/p>\n So my resolution this year is similar to the \u201cnot complaining about family members resolution.\u201d I feel really good about this resolution and think that it will be good for me personally and the people around me. And it is something that is doable, provided I don\u2019t tell anyone what it is (except my husband, but he already knows).<\/p>\n But I\u2019m not sure if my inspired goal can count as a resolution if I can\u2019t talk about it at a New Year\u2019s Eve party (or on a blog post, because given the lovely virus I got for Christmas, I\u2019m currently not fit company for any social gathering). Part of me cynically believes the resolutions exist largely for the sake of small talk while waiting for the ball to drop.<\/p>\n And that is why I save my real resolutions about changing habits for Lent. It\u2019s far easier to be successful in keeping a resolution for forty days than it is for a whole year, and after more than a month, patterns are reset, so if I want to continue on a new track, it is much more likely that I will be able to do so.<\/p>\n