Resolutions, and what we make of them

It’s the start of a new year, and one of the favourite activities of many folks is to make New Year’s resolutions. I’m not personally a fan, but there it is.

With the previous year now behind them, folks think about what they can do to improve their personal, financial, and professional lives. Common choices are to give up smoking, to go on a diet, to go back to school, to volunteer for a worthwhile cause, to become more mindful, to start a household budget, to ask for a raise, or maybe to search for a new job. All very worthy goals, I would say.

What I offer here are resolutions that most people, based on trends, will not make.

1. Resolve to reduce their carbon footprint by decreasing the use of, or giving up their cars and trucks. This might not be too hard to do if you live within blocks of your local grocery store or workplace, but most people, especially country folks, have to travel significant distances to get where they need to go, so this isn’t going to happen.

2. Resolve to decrease their personal consumer debt. Not so long ago, personal consumer debt stood at 167 per cent, which means that for every dollar you brought in, you owed a buck sixty-seven. That needle has now risen to a buck seventy- one. People always want the best and newest, and will often make such purchases before they have even finished paying off the models the new ones are going to replace. This is especially critical for folks heading into retirement. Reduced retirement income, in most cases, cannot service this debt, so many retiree-wannabes are having to continue with at least part-time work past when they had hoped to stop working.

3. Resolve to decrease smart phone use. Of course, it is not the smart phones themselves that are the problem, rather is how and when folks use them. Researchers are now talking about smart phone addiction, as many people cannot stop themselves from continually monitoring their social media sites via their smart phones. This leads to even dangerous uses such as texting while walking or driving. It is also known to decrease workplace productivity, and to damage personal relationships. Many folks are substituting digital connectivity for real-life communication and relationship building. If this trend continues, I’m not even sure where this is going to take us as a society.

4. Resolve to be kinder, more tolerant, and less self-centred. These three things kind of go together. We’re becoming a nation of toddlers. “I don’t like what you’re doing; I hate you!” “Don’t say that; you’re hurting my feelings!” “You don’t belong here. Go back to where you came from!” We’re used to these types of sentiments from pre-schoolers, especially as their world outlooks are very much centred on their immediate needs and feelings irrespective of those around them. It seems that with the relative anonymity of social media, folks feel more comfortable in expressing their inner urchins. I’m personally alarmed by this trend. Even though we all have our personal challenges, an altruistic bent is always its own reward, and makes for a much more peaceful and productive society.

5. Resolve to make a difference. It is too easy and too comfortable in most cases to shut out the world as you continue with your daily routine of work and home activities. More people should realize that one person can make a difference in the lives of both self and others. Vote at election time. Volunteer for a cause that resonates with you. Help your neighbour. Demonstrate kindness, and pay it forward.

What do you think? Will you resolve to reverse these trends?