The practice of making New Year's resolutions has been around for about 4,000 years, since the ancient Babylonians. Their New Year's celebration took place in March during a 12-day religious festival called Akitu where they planted new crops, established loyalty to their king and made promises to the gods in hope that they would bring them good fortune in the coming year.
Today, New Year's resolutions have become individualized and focus on bettering ourselves rather than considering what part we play within our communities, cultures and even as occupants of this planet. We all want to leave some kind of impact on the world behind, but the promises we try to keep really only benefit ourselves in the end.
Not all impacts have to be glamorous either — small acts usually make the biggest difference. So, for this time around, instead of making one or two huge resolutions that you will most likely abandon within a few short weeks or months, try these smaller contributions. Treat them as items on your 2017 bucket list instead of resolutions. Make a Pinterest board of ideas for each item or create a real life bucket list that you can physically check items off on. Customize it to fit who you are as a person. You know what motivates you.
1. Find a space just for you
Make it a place you're unlikely to run into people you know. This is where you can disappear to when you need time for you. Maybe you set aside a particular day and time each week to sitting in your space and reflecting on how well you're staying on track with your bucket list.
2. Don't waste food
There's a book everyone should read called "Food Foolish" that talks about "the hidden connection between food waste, hunger and climate change." We have the ability to properly feed every single person in the world — even enough to sustain the growth in population expected to come in the future. This is a problem we can all solve easily.
3. Volunteer
What is something you'd be willing to dedicate some of your time to? Research what volunteer opportunities are available to you in your state or town. Find one that you feel strongly about or volunteer several different organizations. If you're from CT, you can find volunteer opportunities here.
4. Visit one new place
Pick a place you are unfamiliar with but want to understand. You don't have to go far if you don't want to. America is so great because we are diverse. You can easily visit a new place to learn about a different culture or subculture. We tend to judge others because we don't understand — this became incredibly apparent with the passing of this year's election. We should be embracing our differences, which leads me to my next point.
5. Practice tolerance
We fear and judge those who are different than us, and it has created a bitter environment within a country built on diversity and freedom. Educate yourself. Be objective. Take the time to understand why someone doesn't agree with you instead of dismissing them as ignorant.
6. Learn how to tip properly
As a former waitress, this one is very important to me. No one is perfect. You will not always have a stellar experience eating out, but that doesn't mean your server isn't trying their best to make your experience the best it can be. They're not there to ruin your night or make you think you're unimportant. I always tip 20 percent no matter how bad the experience was because I know I am not the only customer there. I know that things can go wrong in the kitchen or five different tables ask you for something and you just can't remember them all. Your servers are trying to make a living, and your tip means everything to them. Working for $2.50 an hour is not ideal for anyone.
7. Fully develop a skill
Take the cooking class you've always wanted to take or sign up at that yoga studio you see everyday on your drive home from work or school. And share it with someone you enjoy spending time with or want to get to know. You'll warm someone's heart if they know you want to spend time with them.
8. Make five new friends
Maybe you don't know someone who wants to take a cooking or yoga class. No problem! Go anyway and meet new people. Meeting people outside your usual routine can brighten up your life as well as theirs. You might find you have other similar interests you can share together. People could use a little more of you, and I'm sure you'd love a little more of new and exciting people.
9. Set a career goal for the year
So maybe this one is a little individualistic, but when you succeed at your job your company also succeeds. Plus, when you're happy with your professional life, your personal life can be worry-free giving you ample time to dedicate yourself to your bucket list!
10. Dedicate more time to those who matter most
We could all do good by spending time with the important people in our lives that we may have pushed further down in our priorities over the past year for whatever reason. If you need to make amends, do it. If you need to learn how to schedule better, do it. Don't let yourself regret it down the line.
