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In the last couple of years, I’ve tried a new thing. Instead of rolling my eyes at New Year’s resolutions, I’ve tried to embrace them and make them more than empty end of year vows. In 2020 I offered up 11 “Super Easy” resolutions that anyone could do, no matter their lot. They were so easy that I accomplished 9 out of them. Not bad, but clearly not “Super Easy” enough.
Last year, I went back to the well for 11 more resolutions and had the self-actualization to stop calling them “super easy.” And I report back that I came through on 10 of them, if I’m being honest with myself. But hey, that’s progress.
This year I am back with 11 new resolutions, again that are easy enough for anyone to do. We have 365 days in 2023, and that’s plenty of time to knock a measly 11 items off a to-do list. Plus, the real point of this is to make yourself or the world around you better. And if that isn’t enough motivation, maybe you should try Barstool.
Without further ado, 11 Resolutions for 2023!
1) Learn to Cook One New Thing.
It doesn’t have to be Beef Wellington, but it can’t be Kraft macaroni and cheese. Mostly because you should already have that in your repertoire. Learn to make, and really master, one challenging meal. This will serve you well, as well as others around you. Mostly people (myself included) get down on cooking because of the time it takes, but turn your perspective around and realize you are creating something. And even better, it will be delicious. If you can pull this off, I even give you permission to be the person who takes and posts pictures of food… just this one time.
2) Throw Out Your 2 Oldest and Most Hole-Ridden Pairs of Socks and Underwear.
This is going to cost a small amount of money, no way around that. But this is a very affordable way to upgrade important unsung heroes of day to day life. This is a gift from you to you. Sure, someone might see your socks and maybe even your underwear, if you play things right, but these are value plays for yourself. Think of it as a minimalistic way to massively drive up your worth to the person who matters the most: you!
3) Ask a Friend to Recommend a Book and Read It.
This works on two levels. Reading gets better the farther away we get from mandatory school assignments, and also you get to connect with a friend before and hopefully after reading it. Three of my favorite books I read this year were recommendations by friends, which led to conversations where we got to dive into what we both enjoyed. Those books, in case you want a jumping off point are: Rules of Civility by Amor Towles, All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, and The Anomaly by Herve Le Tellier.
4) Don’t Be an Asshole.
Sometimes this is hard! It’s okay to admit it. There’s a lot of reasons to be an asshole, including that the world we live in usually rewards such brutish behavior. But if you can resist it sometimes, then maybe you can resist it frequently, and voila, now you are not an asshole.
And in case you need a constant reminder, a little cheat sheet on how to not be an asshole, I always have this video handy to remind myself how prickish assholes look:
5) Quit Smoking Cigarettes.
I always like to throw a freebie in for most people and if you don’t smoke, boom, you’ve already knocked this one out. If you do smoke, seriously, what the hell are you doing? It’s not just awful for you, but for those around you. It makes you less likable, because you smell bad and your habit constantly needs to be accommodated. Just cut it out already.
6) Give the People You Love the Benefit of the Doubt.
See what I did here? I gave you an easy one, and then backsided it with a hard one, probably the hardest. This is a biggie though. When things aren’t going well, it’s easiest to wonder, or worse, lash out, against those you know and care about the most. Don’t! Resist it! Take a break from the current problem and remember that the person/people you love have a history of doing you right. Make your emotional decisions less emotional, with that in mind!
7) Get to Know a Neighbor.
America isn’t as Rockwellian as we like to pretend it is, and if you’re anything like me, you could probably be a better neighbor to at least one person. It’s easy to pass by someone you see on a near-daily basis with little more than a head nod, but being kind and developing rapport with your neighbor is downright biblical. It’s an OG good deed. Having a conversation when things aren’t only going poorly, can lead to a positive relationship, and maybe even a friendship. And then who knows, maybe you’ll be borrowing a cup of sugar or sharing a wifi network and sticking it to Big Cable.
8) Find a Confidant.
Bonus points if they are a friend and a confidant! Not everyone can get or wants to get therapy for themselves, but having someone you can talk to, fully assured that you can open up completely and be honest, is a great luxury.
9) Create Yourself a Nice Walking Route Near Home.
Doesn’t have to be a long route, and you don’t have to use it frequently. Just a place you can access easily when you need to step outside and get some fresh air or a change of scenery.
10) Follow Fewer Influencers
Influencers are bullshit. They are human advertisements and just as soulless as commercials. They are paid spokespeople. They are not cool or trendy, but actually sellouts. You don’t need them to make decisions, and you don’t need them in your life.
11) Leave 5-10 Minutes Earlier
I care about being on time, but I know that’s not everyone’s bag. So even putting timeliness and courtesy aside, if you leave 5-10 minutes earlier when you are going somewhere, it will make your trip less stressful and therefore better.
I’ve been doing this more and more frequently, and not one time has being early been a bad thing. Do it for the people you’re meeting, if that motivates you, but mostly do it for your piece of mind. It will make a huge difference.
We’ll check back in at the end of the year and see how we’re all doing. Until then, good luck out there and remember: don’t be an asshole! I believe in you!
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