By CATHERINE ELLERTON
Moapa Valley Progress
Here it is the beginning of a New Year – a chance – second chance – third chance – to keep those resolutions.
The most common resolutions are: exercise more, weigh less, quit smoking, improve mental well-being and volunteer to help others. How many times have we vowed and broken that vow? So I decided to get some sterling advice.
Art Markman, who is a psychology professor and founding director of the “Program in the Human Dimensions of Organizations” and the author of “Smart Change” offered some advice over the internet. He gave five tips for success.
(1) Give yourself some preparation time.
(2) Habits get in the way of achieving our goals.
(3) Make positive goals not negative.
(4) Make realistic plans — instead of planning on ‘going to a gym’ make it a specific day or days and then add it to your agenda.
(5) Be kind to yourself – some days you will succeed, others you will fail. Learn about what to do in the future, rather than give up. You can succeed – just plan ahead.
Keeping this expert advice in the back of my mind, I journeyed out to see what the residents of Moapa Valley were planning for the New Year. I was interested to find more depth in the resolutions this year.
Deborah Henrie of Sage Health and Home Center vowed to “try to make healthier choices.”
I caught up with Marvin Downey working out at Fit Physical Therapy. He planned to “continue his workout program which is going on two years now.”
Hugh Ward, an ex-military man who served in the Army during the Vietnam era and in S.E. Asia, vowed “to love my wife dearly; and secondly, to visit family more.”
Local pianist Connie Whitney vowed “to have more patience.”
Dr. Bret Staley said he planned “to understand more fully how important family and loved ones are because you never know – life is fragile.”
‘Snooks’ Martin-Coen stated “Don’t think of it as a resolution but common sense – to be fit – especially as we age. Every morning set aside a meditation period to keep spiritually fit.”
Her parting remark that really struck home was “Take one day at a time – don’t regret the past nor fear the future.”
As I slowly hit my house’s walls and doors with a loaf of bread to chase out bad luck, I leave you dear reader with this advice: wrap the loaf in cloth so you don’t have to clean up after yourself.
I vowed to find some coal to take as gifts to my friends. That is because David Cockburn, originally from Scotland and currently an Overton Snowbird from Canada, had advised that “in Scotland the gift of a lump of coal signifies warmth and wealth for the home for the rest of the year.”
And I leave you all with best wishes for:
A Very Happy and Successful New Year! Kiortame Pivdluaritlo – Eskimo; Hauoli Makahiki Hou (Hawaiian) and Bliadhna mhath ur – Gaelic (Scotland).