As you read this, it will be, perhaps, Jan. 6 or 7.

Have you blown your New Year’s resolution yet?

Have those leftover Christmas cookies tempted you away from your determination to eat a healthy diet?

Did you decide to sleep in instead of going for that early morning jog?

Changing our habits is so difficult!

Maybe despite your plan to get things done without procrastinating, you have not yet made it to the bottom of your To-Do List before the end of the day.

I sympathize.

My resolution last year was to initiate “more” quality communication with extended family members.

The trouble with broad statements like that is it’s hard to know if you have reached the goal or failed.

So, this year, my resolution is simple and definable: to remember to send birthday cards to all of my loved ones. So far, so good; the first birthday isn’t coming up until late January.

I also resolved not to run or to set a goal for weight loss. These are certainly promises I can keep!

As for that old promise I’ve made year after year to get organized, I think I will pat myself on the back one closet at a time and not worry too much about whether the whole house is decluttered by the end of the year.

Small victories are good. Small steps to a larger goal are definitely worth celebrating.

I will be improving my eating habits one cookie decision at a time.

And I resolve to be happy about my wins and forgiving of my failures.

As for considering a resolution to not complain about the Philadelphia Eagles, that is a promise I know I cannot keep. Some habits are better left alone.

So, Happy New Year to us all.

If your resolution has crashed, don’t worry. Just reboot!

Linda Wojciechowski

associate editor

Catasauqua Press