Here we are, launched on yet another new year. With it come all the well-meaning resolutions I suspect last only as long as the holiday feeling. The mundane daily grind begins and all our best-laid plans fall sideways into old habits.
I came across an article citing Americans' top 10 resolutions which, I'm sure, could just as easily have been lifted from a NZ survey. The number one resolution was a vow "to appreciate loved ones and spend more time with family and friends''. Nice.
Second and third on the good intentions list was "getting fit'' and "losing weight''. With 66 per cent of Americans rated overweight or obese, it's a popular resolve for good reason, although we Kiwis are up there. We've got the third highest rate of obesity out of 30 OECD countries.
Resolution numbers four and six were the perennials of "quitting smoking'' and "quitting drinking'', with the rather vague one of "enjoying life more'' sandwiched in at number
five. "Getting out of debt'' came in at number seven, followed by the feel-good resolutions of "learning something new'' and "helping others''. Last on the list was "getting organised''.
I'm not big on resolutions per se, but this time of year certainly has all the right ingredients for getting our ducks lined up. We're out of our normal routines, we have extra time up our sleeves, and we're thinking about the year that was, and what the
new one might hold. Formulating resolutions also help motivate us.
For me, that was the New Year water-ski. Apart from one very brief burst last summer, I haven't donned a wetsuit and ski for a good decade or two.
Urged on by the blokes and the kids, I managed to haul myself out of the water on one ski and cross the boat's wake a few times to the delight of the smaller boat passengers who were fascinated (and relieved) to see I was not a lemon. After a few minutes, though, I tried something beyond my pay scale and was in the drink. My arms and legs told me it was over, anyway.
For an hour or two I was chuffed until the relentless ache in one arm set in and stayed for more than a week. At 2am, I looked in the mirror as I downed a couple of Panadol for the pain that was keeping me awake, and told myself I was a pathetic example of middle age. The realisation hit me that I needed some sort of regular exercise regime so my body wouldn't go into shock like this once a year when I pretended I was young, fit and
flexible.
Still, I was reassured by the GP when I took one of the kids to see him that I am not alone in this sporadic sporting facade. He said he'd water-skied beautifully some years back before driving the family home from the Bay of Islands. On arriving in Auckland
he found he'd seized up en route and could barely get out of the car.
So, New Year resolution number two - getting fit - is all mine for 2010. I've made the first step by inquiring about a pilates class, and mentioned to two regular pilatists that I need to join them. Here's hoping I stick to it once the sore arm ceases to ache.
Number 10, "getting organised'' is also on my hit list. The kids' rooms have all been rearranged and sorted out. It's a work in progress because as soon as you start deciding what goes, stays or moves venue, there's a knock-on effect of more piles of stuff to sort in other rooms.
Still, at least we're on the way. By the time the new school year begins I intend to have things shipshape so we can start the year de-cluttered, for the kids stuff at least. That's the plan anyway.
Good luck with whatever your goals are for 2010 and I hope (for you and me) they last beyond January.