New Year’s RE-Solutions

Ahhh… 2010 is finally here. The Year of the Tiger, the Olympics, and apparently the International Year of Biodiversity (I don’t know, Google it). 2010 is also fraught with significances for me personally, because it is the year of my grad. How time flies!

So to honour this special year, I’ve been reflecting on my resolutions for this new year.

Now, when I hear the term “New Year’s Resolution,” I am immediately overcome with a serious case of cynicism. Am I the only one here? I mean, everyone sets these goals for themselves, but it seems like the big resolve and the optimism from the New Year starts winding down in a matter of weeks and those resolutions collect dust in the corner.

So there I was on New Year’s Eve, at church with my parents, brewing in this cynical mentality until I heard a New Year’s message that was incredibly refreshing. What really stuck with me was the idea that resolving to do something was to REsolve, and resolutions were REsolutions.

It’s difficult to explain the impact that had on me, but I think I realized then that resolutions for the new year don’t need to be anything new and fancy. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to climb new mountains and break new barriers in 2010... but I think that the real key of making a difference is to REdo our actions – whether they be big or small – every single day.

The world doesn’t change from a sudden event; it’s rather that little actions accumulate over the years to shape it in a different way. I think it’s essential for us to CONTINUE carrying out commitments, even little ones like turning off the lights and recycling. We need to keep REsolving the problem, sticking to REsolutions – REdoing our actions each day.

There are already solutions out there, some of which you may already be doing. So let’s make REsolutions this year. It’s great to resolve to, oh I dunno, run a marathon for charity this year, but I think it’s also fantastic (and maybe more realistic?) to REsolve to turn off the tap every day like you've been doing so far, so that you can be even more consistent in your REsolutions this year.

I hope everyone got the gist of what I was trying to say. I just thought I’d throw in some of my thoughts for this New Year, and maybe suggest a more practical way to make a difference in 2010.

What do you think?