New Year’s. A time to make resolutions that we will totally forget about by February first. We are supposed to resolve to do things that will make us a better person, usually by suffering. A favorite, of course, is to go on a diet. We will lose weight by not eating anything but celery. After a day of being extraordinarily hungry, we eat a whole cake and give up. Or we vow to run a marathon. We go out on the first day and run 10 miles. Well, we try to. We get through a mile and a half, call our spouses to pick us up and limp for the rest of the week. Those expensive running shoes then get thrown into the back of the closet.

A friend of mine has a different attitude. She makes a resolution that she actually wants to do and is not a punishment. For instance, spending more time with friends or trying new foods. So, instead of causing yourself pain to make yourself into someone that you think that you want to be, perhaps you should do things to expand your world, so that you can become the person that you want to be.

What have you wanted to try or see? Perhaps there are museums that you want to go to? Perhaps there are books that you want to read? Perhaps there are bands that you want to hear? What do you want to add to make you into the human that you want to strive to become. Make reasonable, fairly easy steps. Steps that you will enjoy.

Expand your world. And have fun doing it!