Life is Good- Resolutions

I wrote en entry recently with a list of 2011 Reflections, with quotes from a Life is Good book. As mentioned in that entry, I love the LIG stuff because of its positivity. So I wanted to write some resolutions also based off of quotes from the book, and just share a little bit of what I liked. Contrary to last year, most of these are somewhat vague, and not as quantifiable. Seeing as how I didn't do TOO well with last year's resolutions, maybe this approach is better! Here's 11 I liked, a few of them close to one another.

Optimism can take you anywhere.
I just want to continue to try and be optimistic and have a positive outlook on life. It is SO easy to not do that, and criticize people, point out all the wrongs, and complain. Sometimes you can catch it, sometimes it just comes out. I want to at least try and catch it. We all need a little more optimism.

Whatever you are, be a good one.
When I first read this, I thought of work. And I should be a good 'whatever I am' at work. But it also applies to me as a husband, son, brother, friend, relative, pet owner, anything else.

Good vibes are contagious.
This ties in with being optimistic, but I think it focuses on being outwardly optimistic. It's good for me to keep negativity in, but also good to let the positivity out. It definitely is contagious.

Stick together.
I think this one applies to being a good husband. Of course, I want to stick together with Kalee, and just saying 'Stick together' doesn't mean that if we are still married on 1/1/13 that it's a successful goal. But continue to try and make each other better and have a healthy marriage.

Breathe.
So far, I have been able to do this in 2012. Duh. But 'breathe' applies to not getting too worked up when things don't go as planned. When my goal of being optimistic is tested, remembering to just breathe, things are going to be ok. Don't sweat the small stuff. I think I saw a quote once that said 'Don't sweat the petty stuff, and don't pet the sweaty stuff.' Words to live by.

Don't knock something, build something.
If you don't like the way things are going, don't complain or poke fun, do them better. Try and make positive change.

Get out.
I want to do a little more exploring, both near and far. It's been a long time since I have lived on the east coast, and who knows how long we'll be here, so I want to take advantage of the area I live in. It means more local trips in South Jersey and Philly, but also visiting the other cities that are in a short drive, DC, NY, Baltimore, Boston, etc... Get out.

Read em and reap.
My annual resolution of 'read more' is extended into 2012. I don't know if I want to set a specific amount of books, because even when I read a lot, I don't count the books. But just to read more in general, and read more than facebook posts and ESPN.com. More books, magazines, newspapers, and maybe even other people's blog entries. I love finding out when people read this one, so I need to pay it forward!

Celebrate.
Celebrate life's successes, both my own and others'.

Face the bumps with a smile.
Again with the positivity, I know. This one isn't always easy. You don't appreciate life's lessons as you are learning them. But after my time at CMU and other places, I can look back at the toughest times as some of the most rewarding after the fact. They're not problems, they are learning experiences. Ok, they're definitely problems. But what can you do? Make the most of em.

We will never know all the good a simple smile can do.
I love this. You never know what someone else is going through, and the power of a smile, a kind word, a held door. I was taught this lesson when I was in high school and working as a cashier in a grocery store. I had a line of people, and another cashier had an open lane. I pointed a woman to that lane, and she politely said no and stayed at mine. When she got up to me, she told me that I was always friendly, and she appreciated it, and would rather wait in my line than go to someone not as friendly. It reinforced the power of being positive. What difference did it really make? I don't know. But it made enough of a difference that she noticed. You never know when just being nice can have an impact, whether small like that, or something larger.

And that's about it. I don't know if I'll make specific resolutions aside from these. Of course I want to be in better shape, eat better, be more awesome, etc... But I like all this too. Sweet and simple.

Today's video is one of my favorite songs ever, Just Breathe by Pearl Jam. Beautiful song.



I wrote this today after finding out about a CMU alum who passed away on New Years Day. I don't know exactly how, but I know it was too soon. He was a positive person who I knew just from being at the SAC a lot, playing basketball, and was friends with a lot of my old student employees. I didn't know him too well, but hearing about his passing reinforced everything I planned on writing about. Life's too short. Be more positive in 2012.

Slainte,
Gary