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In case you needed a bit of inspiration to move beyond the traditional "I want to be more organised/wealthy/learn Farsi," we've put together a few potential 2013 New Year's resolutions to get you thinking. Some are tongue-in-cheek, others are dead serious (literally - look at number three).
1. Move to Panama: Gallup Inc asked 1000 people in each of the 148 countries last year if they were well-rested, had been treated with respect, smiled or laughed a lot, learned or did something interesting and felt feelings of enjoyment – and Panama came out on top. Singapore, despite its famed orderliness and wealth, came last in the happiness stakes and Australia comes in somewhere around number 76.
2. Combat global warming by lowering your body temperature via fewer workouts and less feverish concern for man-made apocalypses – Fluffington Post Blog
3. Write a will: Ok, so it’s not terribly cheerful to think about, but put this one off for too long and your last wishes are in danger of not being honoured, while your family has the potential to descend into infighting - and don't forget to update it as life circumstances change.
4. Be a responsible citizen: Know which candidate you’re going to vote for in the upcoming presidential election, and know why.
5. Learn how to delegate: Rebecca Gould, owner of the Oxenford Smartline franchise in Queensland, hired a personal assistant three months ago and she expects to double her business in the 2013 as a result. Finding a way to offload tasks you don’t enjoy or don’t have time for is a great way to increase productivity (and sanity levels).
6. Lose weight: The ever popular New Year’s resolution is more relevant than ever as Australia’s obesity epidemic becomes increasingly, er, “widespread.” US news presenter and comedian Larry Wentz offers some helpful advice for those of us with the odd spare tire or two:
“When eating doughnuts, only eat the centre part…and ladies, drop 5kg instantly: Let go of your purse.”
If you have a New Year's resolution you'd like to share (serious or otherwise), feel free to pop it in the comment box to help get your fellow readers thinking.
