There are two types of people in this world—those who do make New Year’s Resolutions and those who don’t.  I am in the do category.

I like the act of making New Year’s Resolutions.  They help me set a theme for the year.  I try to make them different each year.  Many times I achieve them.  I always give them a serious try.

I think laying them out here in public is an incentive to completing them.

So here are my 2017 resolutions.  Each one of these has significance at this point in my life.

First, I have a resolution to complete the Bruce Trail.  I made a substantial dent in 2016, but I still have about 200 kilometers to go. I want to finish it while I am physically able. The remaining terrain is a lot more challenging than what I experienced in the first 700 kilometers.  The trailhead is now several hours away and in the snowbelt.  The weather is less predictable.  When I am finished, I plan to apply for the end-to-end badge and have one hell of a party.  You are all invited.

Photo Credit: Refrigerator Interior by Philip Brewer, Flickr

Second, I have a resolution to change my interaction with food.  This isn’t a diet.  Instead, my resolution is to stop throwing away food.  We buy so much food that never gets eaten.  Essentially the goal is to avoid going to the grocery store until the refrigerator is empty.  There’ll be no mystery meat.  There’ll be no more door of unused salad dressing.  Cheese will not get moldy, unless it is supposed to be moldy.  Vegetables will not rot and make a mess in the drawer.  It is wasteful and not environmentally friendly.  I’m not sure if this is going to mean that I will gain or lose weight, although I think it means that food will be purchased in smaller sizes.  I also think it means that we will eat out less and focus on what we eat more.

Third, I have a resolution to get serious about happiness.  I want to learn more about how my fellow HR folks perceive happiness; how they find happiness personally; what elements they feel are necessary to have workplace happiness; what elements of workplace culture take away from workplace happiness.  This means I need to read more, interact more and learn more. For sure I will also be going to Workhuman this year as a way of focusing on happiness.

What are your resolutions?  How successful have you’ve been in achieving a resolution in the past?  Why or why not?