It’s 2026! It’s a brand new year! And you know what that means: It’s time for New Year’s Resolutions. There are things that we want (or need) to try to do to make our lives better throughout the new year. But, there are also things we need to STOP doing to make things better for ourselves and those around us. (I believe it was the great philosopher, Mater from the “Cars” movies, who put it best when he said, “To not to.”)
Here are a few things we can do to make the world a better place this year — and, a few things “to not to” do, too:
To do: Spend more time getting to know your neighbors.
To not to: Spend more time doom-scrolling on your rectangle.
To do: Return your shopping cart to the store, or to a shopping cart receptacle station.
To not to: Leaving your shopping cart in the middle of a parking spot (or straddling two different parking spots).
To do: Sing out loud while driving in the car by yourself, paying no attention to what others around you might think.
To not to: Sing out loud while sitting in a stall in a public restroom, paying no attention to what others around you might think.
To do: Read a book.
To not to: Argue with someone about politics.
To do: Say “please” and “thank you” at the appropriate times.
To not to: Demand to see the manager.
To do: Call an old friend you haven’t talked to for a while for no reason other than to catch up.
To not to: Yell at that guy who cut in front of you and didn’t use his turn signal.
To do: Eat a healthy, balanced diet, with plenty of fruits and vegetables.
To not to: Eat a dozen donuts. By yourself. In less than an hour.
To do: Make your bed every morning.
To not to: Leave all of your dirty dishes on the table for someone else to take care of.
To do: Start a new exercise plan, so you can get in better shape and stay healthy.
To not to: Start an exercise plan that includes “walking to the car” as a significant component.
To do: Expand your horizons by learning a new skill.
To not to: Expand your horizons by playing a video game often enough that you reach the next level.
To do: Do something nice for someone, without any expectation of anything in return.
To not to: Think only of yourself and not others.
And finally, to do: Try to make goals to improve yourself, but don’t beat yourself up if you don’t become perfect overnight.
