My idea of the ideal New Year's resolution

By Evan Carden
I stopped making New Year's resolutions awhile ago, because it seemed that I always set my goals too high and was disappointed when I didn't quite achieve what I had set out to do. I don't know if I was putting too much pressure on myself, but I finally figured out that rather than making a resolution at the beginning of each year, it would be better to look forward to the new year as an opportunity to have a brighter outlook with each day that came my way.

That decision has served me pretty well. I have many of the same worries that most other working folks do. Everyone who gets up each day and goes to a regular job does it for one reason and one reason only, to pay the bills. Making ends meet is a daily challenge for most of us, but we forge ahead putting our noses to the grindstone, waiting for the next payday.

Money isn't the only thing we worry about. Those who have children want them to do well in life, so we have the challenge of guiding them in the right direction in hopes that one day they will become responsible members of society. That is not always easy with all of the distractions they have been afforded through increasing technology. There are video games, movies, cell phones and the Internet to distract them from making good grades and attempting to achieve their very best.

With these and the other daily challenges that face us, it is often easy to lose sight of those that surround us. We lock ourselves inside our own little worlds, hardly ever taking the time to peek into someone else's.

I am as guilty of doing this as anyone, but have discovered that it is sometimes good to look outside my own existence and see what is happening on "the other side." My wife says that no matter how bad things get, you can always look around and find someone who has it worse. I agree with her. So, another decision I have made that has served me well is to show as much kindness to others as I can.

Certainly, we all have days that seem to be some of the worst days of our lives. But, there is no excuse for taking out our misfortunes on others.

In my line of work it is not always easy to be pleasant. There's always someone who has a complaint or thinks the newspaper is their personal outlet for airing their grievances. Thank goodness the positive aspects of this business outweigh the negative ones. The people who enjoy our product and give us constructive feedback, good or bad, are the readers I appreciate the most. Your comments are always welcome, especially if they help us realize a way to better serve you.

Through my work and as I have gotten older, I have learned that kindness is the key to making one's daily life pleasant. Even on bad days, I find that if I am kind to people it makes me feel better about myself.

Now, that's not to say that I don't have my bad moods, just like everyone else. After all, I am only human. But, I have found that generally speaking, I get better results when I try to find the positive in someone and let them know that I realize they have their own life that is important to them.

I have also discovered that being kind to someone doesn't hurt a bit. In fact, I feel better when I make others feel that they are important. Making others feel good is the greatest part of this job.

I carry that over into my personal life as well. It's not just the face I put on when I am at work. Learning the art of being kind begins at home. Hiding behind a mask of falsehood will eventually backfire. You will be found out, because the truth always has a way of becoming apparent.

So, for the new year, why don't we all resolve to be a little kinder to others and try to find a bright spot in every day, no matter what has been dealt us during our waking hours. And although it's not always easy to do, try to see things from the other person's perspective once in awhile. You might be surprised what you find out about yourself.

Have a happy New Year!

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