By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Marcy Collins gave up on New Year’s resolutions long ago. So as 2018 rolls around, her resolution is to not make a resolution.
“I quit doing those years ago,” Collins said as she worked at the front desk at the Wood County Commissioners. “None of them come true.”
But some people still have hope – even if it’s just a sliver of optimism – that starting a new direction stands a better chance of success when it begins with the turn from one calendar year to the next.
Dallas Mohr still clutches to the hope. “I guess I’ll try to lose a little weight,” he said. That may mean a change in eating habits, since he made his 2018 prediction as he waited for his carryout order at Campus Pollyeyes.
But Mohr had other goals, too, that do not require cutting back on pizza. “This year I want to strive to be a better person, and to do better in my business” which he is just starting up.
A business resolution was also top on the list for Ben and Jen Waddington, of Waddington Jewelers in downtown Bowling Green. As they worked at their jewelry counter, the couple talked about resolutions.
“You feel like you have to start something at the new year,” Ben Waddington said.
So the couple decided to focus on time management.
“With kids and a small business, that’s always hard,” he said. But now that both their children are in school, they can focus more on their business which saw growth last year.
The plan is to get to work earlier, be more organized and take advantage of the extra time that both kids are in school, the couple agreed.
Research shows that nearly half of all American adults make New Year’s resolutions. Fewer than 10 percent stick with their resolutions more than a few months.
The most common goals are losing weight, exercising more, quitting smoking and saving money.
Tricks to success include setting realistic resolutions, focusing on one goal at a time, telling someone about your resolution, changing your behavior with others who have set the same goal, starting small and not expecting perfection.
But Monica O’Connor isn’t messing around with any small goals. As she checked on residents at Wood Haven Health Care, she admitted to not having great success with New Year’s resolutions in the past.
“I try. Do I keep them up? Heck no,” O’Connor said with a smile.
This year, she’s got a list. At the top is losing weight, followed by improving relationships, then saving money. “I got a lot of them this year,” O’Connor said.
Dean Heilman, who works in maintenance at Wood Haven, was planning to mix it up a bit next year.
“It starts out good – typically it’s eat better, lose weight,” but before long, the diet resolution goes by the wayside. So Heilman has selected a different type of goal for 2018.
“Be true and be good to people, and they’ll be good to you,” he said.
Over at the Wood County District Public Library, Christy Provencher, a library assistant in the children’s section, said an app was able to help her reach a goal when New Years’ resolutions failed.
“It is hard to keep them, when things change during the year,” she said about sticking by resolutions. But with the aid of an app, Provencher met her goal of losing 50 pounds.
Over at the library copy machine, Ben Widmer said his resolutions will likely be to lose weight and gain more money. But he’s not expecting any miracles with the turn of the calendar page. “After a few months, you slack off, of course,” he said.
Checking out the book selections, Betty Winslow said she isn’t big on New Year’s resolutions.
“I don’t make resolutions. I make goals,” she said. And for next year, her goal is to buy fewer items. Winslow explained that instead of buying new books or new needlework projects, she is going to finish what she already has.
“You get to know what you have, rather than buying more,” she said.
Betty Kahlenberg’s resolution has a bit of a twist, too.
“My New Year’s resolution is more of a hope. I want no pain next year,” said Kahlenberg, who recently was diagnosed with sclera derma, Raynaud’s syndrome, and shingles.
She also has some high hopes for humanity. “It would be nice if people would be as good to each other all year long as they are now,” Kahlenberg said.
Terry Householder and Nancy Hess had those same type of dreams for the new year.
“Those typical things never work,” Hess said of the standard resolutions. “It’s an ongoing thing. It’s not a once a year thing, but a constant effort of trying to improve myself.”
Householder agreed. “My resolution is to pursue peace, to get that feeling of satisfaction,” she said.
