New Year's Resolutions

How do you begin to devise a resolution? Where did the custom come from? I can't answer either of these questions. I can offer an opinion on the first, though. Everyone likes to set goals for themselves. Resolutions are, just that, goals. What astounds me is that folks set their limits too low and their expectations too high. "I will give up everything that is bad for me." Exactly what does that mean? EVERYTHING??? For goodness sake, if you read all of the medical journals, the alternative journals and anything in between, everything that you say do or injest, is absolutely bad for you. Why not start small: "I will try to eat three well balanced meals every day." That is a goal that isn't too high, it is something that you can start fresh with everyday.
Here is another: "I will be able to run the Boston Marathon this year." You need to be fooling yourself, if you haven't been training for it for a while already. That is a hefty and lofty goal. HOw about setting this goal: "I will make an effort to run a mile within the next month." That is not too terrible, again, it makes you want to finish and make an effort.
My point here is that people especially those of my generation, want instant gratification, we are the TV society, we want instantaneous results. If I go on a diet, I want to look like a supermodel in three days, not a year and a half. We need to slow down and realize that we all have limitations, nothing can be resolved overnight. This New Year, instead of setting the standard high, or setting yourself up to fall off the resolution wagon, pick goals that won't overwhelm you. Pick small accomplishments that can make you feel better, or do well in your job or your homelife. Pick goals that can enhance your overall well being, that will nourish you spiritually. I for one will make goals to stay on top of the housework, to try to make this a healthy house, dust wise, and the like. I know that it gets away from me, so when and if it does, I won't feel like a failure, I will get back on the bicycle(figurative, I don't clean house on a bike!) and continue to ride. Life is too precious and too short to worry about being a failure. I for one am not going to waste any part of it doing that. I will not make silly resolutions that will go by the wayside in a few months. It isn't worth the time or the effort. My life is complicated right now, and I am not going to worry and complicate it more! Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!