According to Merriam-Webster, the noun “resolution” means: “the act or process of resolving.” To “resolve” means: “to deal with successfully” or “to reach a firm decision about,” among other fine points of the strict definition of the word.

New Year’s resolutions are something I have never been very good at. It’s not that I don’t have room to improve –far from it, actually. I can think of all sorts of things that I could do better, from eating healthier foods to exercising more, reducing the size of my clothing collection, recording expenses more faithfully, and so on and so forth.

But, rather than fight an uphill battle by declaring a resolution I am unlikely to live up to, I usually just try to start each new year with a fresh perspective.

If I were to make some resolutions, here are some of the things I would focus on:

∫ Being more physically active, because it is important for both physical and mental well-being. For me, walking a lot more and attending a yoga class here and there would be a great way to start.

∫ Taking the time to be really present. Too often, I allow the hustle and bustle of everything else to distract me when I really should focus on enjoying time with loved ones or on listening closely to someone who needs my ear.

∫ Spending more time outdoors. Although I have an “office job” as an editor, I truly love being out and about in the world. Whether I am mowing grass or painting or wandering around a local community in search of a story, I am in my element when I am outdoors.

That list could be much longer, but I’ll leave it there for now. Perhaps if I have some manageable goals in mind, I will actually make progress toward them. I hope you all can do the same.

Happy New Year!