On Making New Year's Resolutions

     It is that time of year again when we focus on making “New Year’s Resolutions” because as some unknown writer penned, “Many people look forward to the New Year for a new start on old habits.”  Unwilling to totally hang my hat on anonymous quotes, I thought it might be valuable to consider what some of our sages have said on the subject.  Who better to heed than Mark Twain.

 “New Year’s Day – Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions.  Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual.”

          ~ Mark Twain (American Humorist, 1835 – 1910)

     Now I can hear you saying to yourself, “In spite of past performances this is the year that I am going to…”  and you believe yourself.  I don’t.  I don’t believe it because from yet another unknown pundit, “A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.”  As Ben Franklin wrote:

“How few there are who have courage enough to own their faults, or resolution enough to mend them.”  

          ~ Benjamin Franklin (Printer,and Inventor, 1706-1790) 

    You still resist?  You want to think yourself stauncher than that?  Consider this:  "If you kept every resolution you made last year, you'd probably be skinny smart, healthy, rich - and bored."  ~ Unknown 

    It is becoming clear that some people who want to hold us accountable for our resolutions do not want us to remember who they are.  Maybe they suffer from the same lack of determination in holding to their resolutions as we do.  Is this a lack of characteer?

 “Character is the ability to carry out a good resolution long after the excitement of the moment has passed.”  

          ~ Robert Cavett (Founder, Nt'l Speakers Assn., 1907-1997)

    If you are beginning to question the wisdom of making any resolutions at all, you could regard the advice of Sophocles:

“Men should pledge themselves to nothing; for reflection makes a liar of their resolution.” 

          ~ Sophocles (Greek Playwright, 496B.C.-406B.C.)

Or:

 “A good resolution is like an old horse, which is often saddled but rarely ridden.” 

          ~ Mexican Proverb

     The good news two of our stalwart presidents think highly of your ability to turn over a new forest in making your resolutions.

 “It is part of the American character to consider nothing as desperate – to surmount every difficulty by resolution and contrivance.”  

               ~ Thomas Jefferson (Third President, 1743-1826)

 “Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.”  

                    ~ Abraham Lincoln (Sixteenth President, 1809-1865)

    If you are now in a complete morass about to be or not to be resolved about anything, remember this:

“May all your troubles last as long as your New Year’s resolutions.”

~ Joey Adams (American Comedian, 1911 – 1999)

Happy New Year!