New Year, New You? No Thanks

New Year…I welcome you.

I keep seeing “New Year, New You” as a theme. From news shows, ads for gyms and weight loss programs, etc.

But I’m not sure I really want a “New Me.”

Yes, I want to improve in 2012, as I always hope to. But a “new me?” What would she be like? 

Will the new me like the furniture I picked out just last year for my family room?  If she hates it, what happens then?  Will she sell it all on Craigslist and then buy new furniture? If that happens, the “new me” would surely soon be “divorced me.”

Will the “new me” have my same hairstyle? Or do something crazy like shave it off? Or get a tattoo? I admit the regular ol’ me has always kind of wanted a tattoo, but my tastes are way too fickle…I would certainly hate it
within a few years. Back when I was a day camp counselor, a friend of mine got a tattoo of Tweety Bird on his bicep. Twenty-five years later, I wonder if he still loves that Tweety as much as he did then. Or if his wife does.

I do enjoy the recaps we always see at the end of an old year. One of the morning news shows featured a 15-minute segment showing highlights of 2011 on New Year's Eve. I noticed that almost every single item featured in the montage was negative. Disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis, tornados, divorces, riots, etc.

The only completely positive story right smack dab in the middle was the Royal Wedding—and I do mean the Royal Wedding…not the silly American Reality TV wedding.)  Then the montage went right back to more terrible news.

Where were the positive stories: of rescues, of kindnesses,
of generosity and giving?

I joked to my husband that from now on we rename the news: “Bad News.”

“Did you see the Bad News today? Yup, the Dow is down again.”

It seems the only positive things we see on the news shows are cooking segments which contradict all the stories of “New Year’s Weight Loss Tips and Tricks” that are unavoidable this time of year.

I decided not to make a list of New Year’s resolutions this year. Instead, I am going to try each day to make a few more good decisions. Smaller, better choices.

For example, yesterday, I decided to pick up a book instead of turning on the TV.  I began reading this book almost two months ago but put it down because I was “too busy” with holidays. (Not really.) What happened? I became hooked and ended up reading 150 pages and will surely finish the book this weekend at the latest. Smaller, better choices.

Today, I thought about having a cup of coffee and watching the morning news shows. Instead, I got on my elliptical trainer for 20 minutes while watching the (bad) news. Smaller, better choices.

With a few, smaller better choices, I know that bit by bit, the small choices will lead to big changes. Try it.

Happy and Healthy New Year to all!