by Richard Para

Created on: December 29, 2008

KIS is my tip to you for making that New Year's resolution. Keep It Simple! Select something you are highly motivated to do, something you need to accomplish, and, something that will make you happy. My friend Butch Gleason, last year at this time, vowed to drink more beer while watching the Bears. You see that is not what I'm talking about. Although I must admit it did make him quite happy throughout the year even when he wasn't watching the Bears.

Last year I made a resolution: Exercise. My wife wanted me to do it, my doctor insisted I do it, and my grown children pressured me to do it. I did it! Twice last January. This resolution failed on several levels: Lack of motivation (I hate exercising it takes important time from TV and besides I get, like, all out of breath while doing it), and the two times I endured that exercising it certainly did not make me happy. Watching my brother-in-law's vacation movies would have been more fun. KIS is what is needed and I found some excellent resolutions.

Tell my wife how attractive she is at least once a day. Although it is easy to do because she is very attractive, the delight that emanates from her and the happiness it, or I should say, she brings to me really keeps me motivated. Try it, no not with my wife, your wife!

Listen carefully to what others have to say. I found it makes many people strangely docile and suddenly they become more co-operative, which made me much happier that time the police officer gave me a pass for an illegal left turn into a one-way street. Resolve to listen, who knows, you may learn something and people will suddenly care about you more.

Take the time each and every day to read. Read more of the details of a news item in your newspaper. It's surprising just what you'll learn. Read a book, have a book going all the time and read from it each and every day. For instance, I learned that Charles Darwin married his first cousin, what was that all about? Or, that William Shakespeare spelled his own name wrong on the title page of one of his plays. I always thought he was smarter than that. The fact is that learning stuff is fun.

Finally, shut off the tube and quietly listen to you favorite music even if it is for a short period of time. This one can reach into your very soul.

There you have it, some KIS resolutions; but, there are many more many of which have to do with love, kindness and simply avoiding being a jerk. I am working on that last one.

Have a Happy New Year and enjoy your KIS resolutions. Butch is talking about barbequed buffalo wings this year.

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