Liberation

The New Year is approaching; time for resolutions. Most of us have multiple issues we could work on, and the New Year is a good time to start.

As my late friend Ron Seaman said, “Stopping smoking is easy. I have done it 100 times.” When we resolve to do something, it is an agreement with ourselves that can affect the lives of others. Smoking is just one habit that is hard to quit, overeating another, and lack of exercise a third. The list can include unobtainable goals, so if you choose to resolve something, be realistic.

Most people have too many things. If you are one of them, and it is causing you a problem such as where to put it, how much you pay to store it, where to find it, etc., the first step is to stop buying. The saying, “When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging” applies. Too many things usually result in clutter. People save newspapers they never read, clothing that doesn’t fit, cars that don’t run, and you can probably add to the list with your personal “stuff.”

Stuff is one of the most versatile words in the English language because it can be used for a substance, a collection of things, events or ideas. Everyone uses it to mention something without being specific. Dr. Elizabeth Kinzie recommends choosing a single word for a year’s worth of resolutions. Think carefully, and if the word is liberation, get rid of some stuff.