Another year has passed and once again, I dropped out of the Resolution effort. One of my goals was to post on my blogs on a regular basis. Another was to exercise more to improve my health and lose weight. I intended to force myself to socialize more. I think there may have been a couple more, but I can’t remember where I stored them, so I can’t be sure.

So, here we are in 2012, a brand new year to work on self-improvement. That’s what it’s all about after all. We all make New Year Resolutions about improving ourselves. We don’t list things to make our friends and families better or to improve society. We simply want to make ourselves better: more efficient, considerate, healthy. Every year, we plan to improve our appearance, education, status, or life and every year most of us fall short.

I think our problem is that our goals are too vague. We need to make two lists. One that is the usual grand plan and a second one that consists of detailed, measurable items that will enable us to move toward the greater goals. We should be making the bigger items part of a five year plan. Then each year make a list of things to help us stay on track.

Then when we suddenly realize in the middle of March that we’ve fallen off the wagon, we can simply start again. Make each new day a step on the path. If we have vacation in July and drop out of all our efforts, we simply pick up the trail again because our signposts are still there.

So, my goals this year are not carved into a cliff, waiting for me to fall. Instead, they weave a path through the fields and forests of my daily life. If I find that I’ve let myself wander away, then my measurable list will provide a map to find my way back.