Why Wait Until New Years? 

That time has come once again... the time when people make New Year's Resolutions. A few years ago I made my last New Year's Resolution... and I've stuck to it pretty well. What pray tell did I resolve to do you ask? I resolved to stop making New Year's Resolutions. Oh... that resolution. Nick, everyone makes that resolution at one time or another. It's a cop out. I suppose for some people it is a cop out, but for me it wasn't. In making that resolution, I was actually saying that I wasn't going to wait until the new year to make a change that I can start making right now. How many times have you thought of something you'd like to change and said to yourself... I'm going to start doing that next year. Why wait? If you think of it now, why not start it now?

A few years ago when I decided to lose weight... I started in the fall. I got sick of being fat, and I said to myself... this is going to change starting today. Had I waited a few more months, who knows what would have happened. Had I waited until January, the extra snow and cold may have discouraged me from ever starting... and I'd be sitting here carrying an extra 80 lbs right now.

A couple weeks ago I stepped on the scale and realized I had gained a few extra pounds. I've actually still got kind of a gut that's always nagged at me. I'm in pretty good cardiovascular shape, and my legs are very trim (with a pretty fine ass if I do say so myself)... but my upper body is not nearly as stellar. So when I got on the scale this time, that was the straw the broke the camel's back. So I started really working on my stomach and chest. No waiting. No chance to change my mind or lose that desire. Strike while the iron is hot I say. Of course now every time I put on a jacket I groan... but that just means it's working. Pain is good.

I suppose the closest thing I have this year to a New Year's Resolution is that I won't be sending gift cards for birthday's or Christmas this coming year. For that matter, I'm going to attempt to not forget birthdays in general. I wasn't exactly feeling the Christmas spirit this year... and I think part of that comes from the fact that I didn't think about what to get people. I know a lot of people love getting gift cards... I frankly love them too. But lately I've been over doing it. I'm doing it out of laziness, and this year will be different. Ha! That's a New Year's Resolution Nick! I don't think so. I made the decision after Christmas because that's when it hit me. It just so happens that the next opportunity for me to make that change are birthdays in January. It may seem like I'm skirting by on a technicality, but I'm an Engineer. We live for technicalities.

So next year when you see something in yourself that you want to change... don't wait for the new year to do it. Start the next day. January 1^st is just another day, and it could be a long way away.

Update: For other people's more interesting resolutions... you can check out the Technorati Page dedicated to them.