One of my resolutions this year will definately be taking better care of my teeth (got some fillings refilled this year and a crown... $$$). Besides brushing and flossing twice a day, I wasn't sure what other steps to take towards that resolution... what do you think?
The first mass-participation experiment to unravel what makes a new year's resolution a successful step towards self-betterment — or more commonly, a dismal failure of willpower — is launched by psychologists today ...
Richard Wiseman, a professor of psychology at Hertfordshire University, hopes to enrol around 10,000 people in the online experiment.
The psychologists have identified five tips to help keep resolutions.
The first is to make only one resolution: if you are an obese, misanthropic, SUV-driving smoker, Prof Wiseman recommends picking just one aspect of life to improve, to increase your chances of success.
They also suggest planning your resolution in advance, instead of waiting until New Year's Eve. The extra time will allow you to reflect on what you really want to achieve. Another tip is to avoid repeating a previous resolution, or at least try a different technique to keep it. So if trying to lose half a stone did not work last year, plan to exercise more instead. "If people think they can do it they probably can, but if they've already tried and failed, their self-belief will be low," Prof Wiseman said. The remaining tips include keeping resolutions specific and rewarding yourself by buying a new book or CD if you manage to lose a few pounds or cut down on smoking.
*Groan*
This is a source of tension between myself and my wife...
I really hate New Year's Eve and Day. So many seem to approach the coming year with optimism -- all I feel is dread crossed with some vague fear of my inability to archive what's passing.
This is a source of tension between myself and my wife as she wants to go to one of several parties and I want to sit at home, alone, in the dark, and drink myself into oblivion. Better to be numb than watch people celebrate an absolute refusal of self-reflection. Though odds are I'll be going to one of the parties and be starring as "miserable SOB." 🙁
Maybe only use 3 or 4 "final days" and use 2 of those to get the year kicked-off:I think the Babylonians had the best idea: 360 days followed by 5 or 6 to bury the Old Year. Just rushing into a new one when the old one's not even cold seems inadequate, really.
And what if that opportunity, as unlikely as it may be, arises? 😎So, I have resolved that in A.D. MMVII, I will not spend a single passionate night with Halle Berry. See? Just be realistic. 🙄
A couple of my resolutions for next year
-Run 1,000 miles
c-Row said:Oh, and finally getting 500 posts so I can have my own avatar