Chick Chat, Group Post

Chick Chat: Resolutions We’ve Already Broken

Lisa Q. Mathews

First, in my defense, it is not one teensy iota my fault that my single 2024 resolution is already circling the drain. This year, I promised myself that I would have more, well, fun. I came up with that idea as I languished on the couch on New Year’s Eve, feeling strangely exhausted. Post-holiday letdown, I told myself. My hubby and I had planned to go out to dinner to kick the New Year off right–and instead I asked him if he would pretty please pick up our fancy dinner and bring it home. By the time he returned, saint that he is, I was full-out sick with some non-Covid, non-flu Dread Gumboo that knocked me flat and coughing for 2 weeks. Yes, the Year of Fun has been a huge bust so far. But it’s never too late, right? By St. Patrick’s Day–less than 2 short months away–I’ll have all my work and writing caught up and I’ll be ready to party!

Vickie Fee

I’ve stopped making a list of resolutions because I’ve finally admitted to myself I’m not a resolute kind of gal. Good intentions is a better description for me. I have good intentions, but I fall short on carry through. If you caught my post last week you know I decided this year to ditch the list and whittle my  New Year’s prompt down to one word. Even that took me several days to accomplish. Friends offered many great suggestions, including hope, survival, persevere, faith, love, and nice. I finally settled on “BELIEVE” as my focus word for 2024. I wish each of you much success with your resolutions or key word or whatever you use for motivation much happiness and success in the new year!

Leslie Karst

I never make new year’s resolutions, because I figure, why is January 1st any different from any other day of our lives? If you want to do something, any random day of the year is as good as any other to decide to do something, right?

Which doesn’t mean I actually accomplish any of those things I decide to do on, say, July 18th. Take writing every single day. That resolution lasted about one week. Or not gorging on chocolate right before bedtime. That one lasted about three days. Or vacuuming at least once a week. Yep, that lasted…one week. But at least I can honestly say I’ve not broken one of my new year’s resolutions!

Kathleen Valenti

Does it help that I don’t do resolutions? No? How about the fact the New Year has really just begun? Still no? Okay then. I’ll have to mea culpa that I’ve already broken my self-promises to a) drink more water (actually, drink water, full stop), b) get more sleep, and c) floss every day. I think the first item in the list is the most critical. Turns out humans need water, not just periodic does of coffee, tea, and wine. The thing is…water is so, well, watered down. I was on a hot-water-and-cinnamon kick for a while, but that has abated and so has my hydration. Any tips and tricks to get in those ounces of H2O? I’m all ears. (Because I’m probably no longer 66% water.)

Becky Clark

I promised myself that this would be the year that when the temperature dipped below freezing, I would hop in my private jet and zip off to the Turks and Caicos Islands packing nothing but my coconut bra and yoga pants. There are many, many problems with this resolution, of course, the main one being that I don’t know if that’s even a real place because it sounds made-up. In retrospect, with the crystal-clear clarity of an hour ago, it’s probably a good thing I didn’t jet off to Narnia or wherever during this five-day stretch of negative temperatures because otherwise, who would be there to crawl under my kitchen sink with the hair dryer and thaw my frozen pipes?

Jennifer Chow

I was going to kickstart 2024 with a flurry of well-intentioned, productive activity.

Well, there definitely was activity—and the new year kicked me. The first week of January started off with a clogged sink, a misbehaving oven, and sick-healthy-sick cycles for the kids. Now that things have stabilized, can I make fresh start in Feb 2024? That’s when the Lunar New Year begins after all…

Readers, which of your resolutions are already circling the drain? Drop us a note in the comments below!

42 thoughts on “Chick Chat: Resolutions We’ve Already Broken”

  1. You’re all wonderful and human! I also don’t do New Year’s resolutions, but BECKY’s idea of flying in her private jet to a warm tropical destination in the depths of winter sounds idyllic.

    But being inspired by guest post on Jungle Reds by a cleaning & organizing guru, I have maintained a clear work desk space and coffee table for more than 1 week, so that’s progress!

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    1. Every year I say I want to take a vacay somewhere warm in Jan. Every Year. Never happens. But gosh darn, those Jungle Reds have a cleaning & organizing guru? Chicks, can we get one, too–who also does it for us?

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      1. Her name is Kathy Vines, and her company is Clever Girl professional organizer. She had a guest post on Jungle Reds on January 13, to encourages us to do a New Year organizing challenge. Start with small-bite sized pieces such as a desk drawer, a work place surface / coffee table (like me), a closet etc..

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    2. I did a burst of cleaning at the end of last year, and it’s felt amazing. (It wasn’t my desk.) But the kitchen and my bedroom bureau look great. Afterward, one of my kids sarcastically commented: “Wait a minute. Are you really my mom?” That shows you my typical tidying skills…

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      2. We did a HUGE declutter, cleaning and reorganizing this fall. We moved to a smaller place. LOL! My goal is to keep it that way. Fingers crossed.

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  2. Any progress is progress, right? I love Becky’s resolution of flying to a nice warm island. Here in Kansas City, we’ve had a week of below zero temperature and I just want to hibernate. My New Year’s resolution this year is to consume less plastic. What I had in mind was to buy and throw away less plastic, but then Consumer Report comes out with a cover story “How to Eat Less Plastic.” Yikes! Guess I’ll be working on that, too!

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  4. I love how a post about breaking resolutions turns out to mostly be about not making them lol. I don’t make them either. Kathleen, I have found I drink more water when I put a lemon or lime wedge in it. Maybe try that?

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  5. Like Liz, I am proud to announce that I haven’t given up on any resolutions…because I didn’t make any. 😉 My ongoing goal is to keep taking things day by day and so far, so good.

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  6. Lisa, your experience sounds very much like mine. I had every intention of working on a better ME this year. I bought a new bathing suit, and since we live in a wonderful retirement community that has a great salt water lap pool and a nice fitness center, I am going to use them. I have a terrible fear of water that I want to overcome. The pool is only 4 feet deep and I plan on attending the water aerobics class in the mornings, strength and cardio machines in the gym.
    We are not party animals, so we stayed home New years eve. New Years Day we just hung out here in our apartment. But by Tuesday we both felt terrible and tested positive for COVID. We have been down for the count for 2+ weeks. Today is exciting as for the first time this year we are NOT having our dinner delivered to us. We are going down to the restaurant like normal people. We are finally starting to feel human again.
    I hope you are feeling better. Next week, chair yoga class and will try out the gym. Baby steps.
    Carol

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    1. Carol, so happy to hear you and your loved one have recovered! Having a pool sounds like a dream. We have…a semi-frozen lake near us here in NH. It’s pretty to look at, sigh. And I’ve always wanted to try chair yoga. Thanks for the inspiration, Carol!

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    3. I started swimming every day-ish since August, Carol. I’m really loving it. And when I say “swimming” I mean everything BUT the actual crawl stroke. I can swim, but it’s haaaard. And good for you for facing your fears. My mom taught herself to swim in her 60s. I’m so glad you’re feeling better!

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  7. I don’t do resolutions either. But I’m having more difficulty adhering to my schedule, that is, writing from about 9am – 2pm with a lunch break, then reading from about 3 – 5, when I have to start preparing dinner. After dinner is TV time with the wife. I’m spending too much time in the morning lingering over coffee, so that has to stop.

    Tom Burns

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    2. Oh, gosh, I hear that, Tom! I do crosswords or online jigsaw puzzles at breakfast and lunch and I’ve learned I better turn on my alarm otherwise I’m there for waaay too long.

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  8. Hmmmm…. I’d say, from this so very scientific collection of Chicks comments, that making new year’s resolutions seems to be going out of fashion–or maybe it never really was a thing except in TV shows and movies?

    But happy Lunar New Year, everyone, and let’s hope the Year of the Dragon brings us all happiness and good fortune!

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  9. I’m exercising more regularly than I was before. But very light weights so I don’t reinjure my shoulder. Still, I’m counting that as a win. But most of my Christmas decorations are still up, so I’m still procrastinating like crazy.

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    1. LOL! My husband actually did bring me home a coconut bra once from some tropical place as a joke. I didn’t really think they were a thing. Needless to say, it got purged pretty quickly.

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  11. Jen, I feel your pain with the clogged sink and sick kids. My kids (and I) are finally well, but I have been without a washing machine for five weeks. Let’s just say that I’ve become VERY grateful for my appliances.

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