Resolution Solutions - Revisitation & Reflection

Here we are again, folks! Out with the old! In with the new!

Many of us have already reflected a bit about the past year and prepared one or more New Year’s Resolutions.

What can we promise ourselves to start or stop doing on the first day of the year, that we’d truly stick with, once decided? (If you’re reading this after day 1 of any new year, you have my permission to start wherever you are!)

Often New Year’s resolutions are about kicking a habit or improving our own lives in some way.

In my efforts to support and inspire others, I love to throw out random alternative ideas. We can create New Year’s Resolutions from anything that sparks us!

For instance, I enjoyed fashioning this poem (of sorts) with relevant rhyming words to suggest a wider view of resolutions. (Many of these serve to share impact beyond our immediate selves):

“Tell a story with elocution.
Improve your skillset execution.
Gift the needy through contribution.
Assist families facing destitution.
Build a helpful institution.
Simplify complexity and convolution.
Move from excess towards diminution.
Share fairly through equal distribution.
Separate the negatives by dissolution.
Soothe arguments through dilution.
Make amends with restitution.
Save the bullied from persecution.
Implement justice through prosecution.
Start a positive revolution.
Find another helpful solution.
Encompass challenge this New Year’s Resolution!” 
New Year’s Resolution Poem © 2024 Paula C Snyder

Consider that every day is like a new year -- and every new year is like a new day. Does it matter if we have a specific plan on Day One?

Frankly, I am glad I wake up with promise and one or more immediate small goals to move me forward any given day (starting with get out of bed, shower, dress, eat…). If I were consistent with just that every day, would it be akin to creating a New Year’s Resolution?

Using the blogs I posted in 2024, I will illustrate how we can find lessons learned and arrive at a resolution or new focus from just about anything:

• January 2024: “Volunteerism – Giving Back – Emphasizing Ability”: This article was a repost of a prior guest blog I wrote for Activate Good (a Raleigh NC nonprofit).

I did some research for this article which included conversations with folks who help connect intellectually and developmentally disabled individuals with opportunities to give back to the community through paid and volunteer work.

It focuses on resources for and stories about ID/DD individuals making a difference and doing their best to live “normal” lives. These stories are very inspiring. They aim to dispel the word “Disabled” and focus on Ability.

No two people are exactly alike (even identical twins develop different personalities). We don’t share every skill, intellect, or experience. As unique beings, we each have strengths and weaknesses.

RESOLUTION: “I will practice higher acceptance and find more value in others who are not exactly like me”.

We can become more acutely aware and treat everyone with respect as a member of humanity and society (disregarding age, gender, religion, social standing, etc.) Find common ground. Focus on ABILITIES. Recognize what each unique individual brings to the table.

• March 2024: “Singing Telegram? Or Tasteful Serenade?” addressed options for unique ways to honor someone you love.

This blog gives a little history of the “singing telegram”, insights, and considerations before you invest in having someone come out to provide such a service.

There are many potential glitches and concerns that could pop up during the implementation of such a service, turning the intended “crazy”, “fun”, “unique” show of love and affection into a “horror show” (figuratively). For instance, you paid someone to show up at a workplace, but when your provider arrives, they aren’t allowed to enter the building.

We often don’t think past the love of our idea. Consider requesting assistance and guidance from a seasoned provider who knows how to anticipate and address these concerns up front.

This problem relates to all kinds of scenarios. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve decided to invest in a quick decision and have been disappointed with the outcome. Information is everywhere. Much of it is conflicting, and often not based on facts. In our hurry to book that deal, we miss the value of getting enough detail to properly explore and weigh options for our best decision.

RESOLUTION: “I will take more time vetting resources, researching options, and consider expert advice before investing.”

Have more conversations up front with vendors who may help solidify the difference between a “perfect fit” and realizing “this isn’t the person I want to work with”. Good vendors can also add more dimension to your vision, making the outcome much better than you imagined.

• March 2024: “Add New Meaning to Spring Cleaning!” is another repost of a guest blog I’d written for Activate Good.  

This blog suggests creative ways to upcycle items you come across while Spring cleaning. It offers some different organizations who might love to accept your donated creations, recyclables, or supplies.

Think about the project we’re excited to start at the beginning of the year. “I am going to crochet 50 baby blankets!”

Like having “big eyes” at a banquet buffet, we eagerly add more to our plate than we may be able to handle. Of the supplies purchased last January, we eventually complete 2 blankets in February (working around employment schedules, caregiving, vacations, illnesses, you name it). Life continues to get in the way and dilutes our verve! It seemed like a good idea at the time….

Still, all is not lost or wasted. We can continue through the year and into the next as we are able - or donate our partially completed project and supplies.

RESOLUTION: “I will enjoy life for what it is, applaud my efforts (large or small), remember the thought counts, and forgive myself for being less than perfect.”

Grace and laughter can take us through the next year. It may be that the few blankets you finished and gave away provided so much comfort and cozy to those little babies that the small rewards were well worth your initial investment in time, money, and mental agonizing!

• May 2024: “Self-Advocacy vs Self-Diagnosis? The Waiting Room!” started out as a vehicle to introduce a short story I wrote many years ago about the way we exaggerate problems in our thoughts while waiting for a medical appointment.

Finding “The Waiting Room” in my archives prompted me to get started, but I realized we all spend a whole lot of time looking up medical conditions on the Internet, asking friends and relatives for advice, trying over-the-counter preparations and home-remedies. (I’m guilty of this for myself, and as a caregiver.) It became just as important to address the seriousness of this topic as it was to share that humorous story.

Like the singing telegram blog talks about booking a service quickly without much discussion, we often cut corners by going to the quickest source for information, even when we know there is a more appropriate source to ask.

Here’s an example: “Google” your favorite restaurant to see if they are open. The Google listing result may be accurate – but businesses are not always on top of updates to outside web-listing. They may have internal information that nobody got around to sharing on social media or they only do it once a month. Wouldn’t it be more expedient and accurate to call, message, or e-mail the restaurant staff directly?

For me, getting information directly from the source beats the letdown of choosing your favorite dish on the on-line menu, getting dressed, driving over to the restaurant, to realize – “Oops! They’re closed every Sunday” or “They no longer have that item on the menu.”

What keeps us from going directly to the source? Is it about the time spent? For medical problems, is it inconvenient to wait for an appointment? Are we concerned about the costs of medical tests, prescriptions, and visits? Do we fear facing something more serious than we initially imagine? Do we distrust medical professionals?

Settling for what seems to be the quickest information and misinformation requires us to backtrack, consume more time, and often begin arguments!

RESOLUTION: “I will find and use the most direct and reliable source(s) to gather information or address a problem.”

We do ourselves higher justice by learning and using the most direct sources of information.

At the very least, with medical problems, track the history of unexpected changes by jotting down symptoms, what’s been tried and how those remedies worked. Set a finite deadline to expect resolution of the problem or consult with a medical professional.

• July 2024: “My Conversations with AI” reflected on a true experience I had with an AI tool. Though interesting, it was downright SPOOKY! In the article, I addressed some pros and cons of using AI.

AI is now part of our life experience and function, including (but not limited to) shopping, industrial production, healthcare, food processing, service, marketing and advertising.

Our houses have “SMART” TVs and appliances. Algorhythms instantly and constantly throw suggestions at us about what news to watch, music to listen to, books to read, places to go, and all sorts of other information. Dare to look up something out of curiosity that’s unusual in our general interest (like an opposing political party’s point of view)? Suddenly we are barraged with more information and suggestions about that.

AI creates images for us, helps us solve problems, draft letters, create fliers, even applies captured voices and likenesses to other entities suggesting genuine reality with contrived images and sounds.

There are many helpful and welcomed AI life applications. However, as someone who loves to create, I am not ready to delegate my creativity to AI. For me, it would take away my pleasure and essence of being an artist. I couldn’t, honestly, take credit for AI’s interpretation or creation on my behalf. Legally, could I copyright and earn income for what AI creates? Humanly, I worry will AI replace me as a creator?

Despite these thoughts, as I write this blog, I realize I actively take advantage of automated AI functions like spell-check, grammar suggestions, and the algorithms that may distribute this blog to more readers!

Just for the record, it’s me, the human Paula C Snyder, typing out my honest thoughts in this blog. AI (or someone else) might write this article faster or better, but I don’t mind owning my human imperfections and satisfaction of thinking, writing, and creating!

Whew! AI is a hot topic! There are plenty of different viewpoints, pros and cons.

RESOLUTION: “I will decide how “human” I want to be and take full responsibility for the outcomes resulting from my choices and actions.”

This is a universal resolution. Think of the many life scenarios (aside from the use of AI) that challenge humanity, ethics, and sense of responsibility!  

Sometimes it’s easier to blame our flaws on circumstances or the influences of others. Whether we hurt a friend, cheated on a test, borrowed something with no intention to return it, or other actions considered negative within society, ultimately, as human beings (granted with brains to think and emotions to feel), the best we can do is take responsibility for the consequences of our choices.

• November 2024: “5 Pros for Procrastination!”: This article took a very long time to assemble and post (weeks, months?) Here, I take the approach that “prioritization” may be faulty and “procrastination” may be natural and healthy!

We live in a speed driven world. With all that technology, AI, competition expanded due to technology, workplaces demanding quantity over quality, it’s hard to keep up with everyday activities.

We’ve likely heard Aesop’s fable “The Tortoise and the Hare”, where despite the Hare’s speed and ingenuity, the Tortoise wins the race. In life, we humans need balance and rest to keep our crazy pace. Slow, persistent, steady…. “What’s really important in life?” becomes the question. Unless we are in a position where taking our time will have a dire outcome (job loss, death from not treating cancer, house repossessed for late mortgage payments), if we don’t get enough sleep the night before or continuous nights, our ability to stay alert, be productive, and function safely becomes significantly hindered.

Of course, sometimes other priorities pop up that pull us away from our intent to be productive. These often cannot be helped, so what can we do?

RESOLUTION: “If I find myself procrastinating on an important task, I will walk away from it and take a break!”

The harder we try, the more we push, the angrier we get, if the timing is not right for this “priority” we set, it’s not going to get done! Let’s step away, rethink about what’s important in the scheme of things, and give ourselves grace to delay. When all the factors fall neatly into place, that will be the time to get back to work!

December 2024: “Meaningful Lasting Gifts” Remembering a small act of kindness from a near stranger, back when I was a younger adult, I wrote this blog as a companion to the song “This Christmas Cactus” (released in 2010 as a story song on my EP “Seasonal Sentiments”).

Based on a true experience, I originally wrote the song to give to a friend with that very same Christmas Cactus in 2003. I was paying the kindness forward!

Over the last couple of years, I adjusted the song to a shorter length for performances. I’d never recorded that shorter version, so I sat down at my piano at home and recorded it live on my phone’s voice recorder a few weeks ago. I had the notion of illustrating that audio with images and the song lyrics. I got to work and released that video before Christmas (2024). Then I cross-referenced the song in the blog, and the blog with the song post description.

The blog discusses most meaningful gifts, many of which money can’t buy. It touches on giving back (donating and volunteering), sentiments and efforts, understanding the person you are gifting, and random acts of kindness that stay in the memories of both gifter and recipient for years to come.

There are so many possible meaningful gifts in life, from smiling at a stranger to taking care of a loved one in time of need. I think of the poems or songs written to hand to a person, or the time spent hanging out as being much more meaningful than a gift card, jewelry, or extravagant trip.

Has another person ever touched your life that way? Has anyone told you that you touched them the same way? How did either make you feel?

RESOLUTION: “I will prioritize kindness and connection over material things.”

Human beings need to feel loved and connected. That’s why we make friends, spend time with family, couple up, cuddle, communicate, care. Certainly, we all hope to have enough (money, housing, food, clothing, essentials) to live safely and in good health. But in the end, it’s the memories of people who make us feel wanted, cared for, valued, and needed that prevail.

Here are a few more links to previous blogs and songs that touch upon the subjects of end-year reflection and / or hopes for the future:

• December 2015: “Resolve Resolutions”
  
• December 2023: “Keeping the Balance”
  
• “Next Year (I Will Promise You)” – song from my 2006 album “renewed” (available wherever you stream)
  
• “Look for the Joy” – single released in 2023 (available wherever you stream)

My general blog theme is “Staying Inspired”. It’s about finding reasons to wake up every day, use our creative mindset and tendencies, while considering the positives of every experience (even if it wasn’t a happy experience) as a valuable learning and growth opportunity.

Somehow, I have managed to keep chasing that elusive light at the end of the tunnel through all life’s ups and downs. Eventually the light comes into view. Staying Inspired drives me towards that light.

I want the same for you.

As we wrap up 2024, I wish you peace, love, connection, kindness, caring, good health, thought provoking conversations, inspirations, and dreams to move you forward.

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**Footnote: Blog photo compilation art arranged by Paula C Snyder. Images courtesy of Unsplash.com (tim-mossholder-313WVoA-Gls-unsplash, olivie-strauss-x9cfqBB1SMo-unsplash, alysha-rosly-vb2qWEax4pM-unsplash, point-normal-wLIg4Oyzvqw-unsplash)