Now that all the presents are opened and Christmas is officially over for another year, I’m attempting to mentally prepare myself for what comes next. The social media “New Year, New Me” posts. And while I’m all about bettering yourself in whichever way you may choose, it seems silly to make promises on the stroke of midnight, while Ryan Seacrest bellows on the television, or drunken loons slob around you, while you freeze your butt off outside, silently wondering why you didn’t just stay home where it’s warm and you don’t have to worry about traffic and drunk drivers.

Personally, I always tell people my resolution is to drink more water. It’s not technically a New Year’s resolution, it’s something I try – and fail – to do, all year long. And that’s a small one. How many people resolve to lose weight, then after paying a huge amount of money for a gym membership, clothes, sneakers and whatever else they think will help motivate them, are done with their daily gym visits by February, if not before?

Or the ones that vow to get out of debt, right after they buy those three things that were on after-Christmas sale (on their credit card), and continue on with the excuses of why they can’t save because of whatever random excuse they can pull out of the air when the guilt sets in as they look at their maxed out credit and overdrawn bank account?

I always feel like resolving to do something potentially life-changing should be more important than some promise made while slightly tipsy on champagne. So this year I resolve to do the things in this newsletter. I’m also resolving to do a few more things that are not as entertainment-based, and therefore of no interest to any of you, I’m sure.

But rather then make promises that you may or may not keep, why not resolve to better yourself by doing stuff that you’re interested in, or visiting restaurants you’ve always wanted to try? If you want to get healthy, drop a dress size and get out of debt, make it happen. You don’t need Ryan Seacrest for that.