A New Year’s Resolution Worth Making
With this year drawing to an end and a new one quickly approaching, I’m inclined, as I am every December, to take stock of the past and think about the future. That often means making lofty resolutions — mostly around food or behavior — that inevitably fizzle out by mid-January: get to bed earlier, eat less butter, quit caffeine, give up sugar, be less snarky. They never last, because following through means that I’m depriving myself of things I enjoy.
But if I flip the script and embrace changes that focus on the positive rather than the negative, I’m more likely to stick with those changes. Rather than take something away — which feels like a punishment — I’ll add something new, which is more like a reward.
For example, a drizzle of tahini and honey on my buttered toast adds protein and antioxidants at breakfast time. A generous handful of baby spinach stirred into a creamy soup, curry, seafood pasta, or even a rich pan sauce, adds fiber, vitamins C, A, and E, iron, and calcium, not to mention loads of flavor. Stirring pomegranate arils and chopped fresh mint into creamy, full-fat yogurt served alongside roasted salmon is not only delicious but has been linked to positive health outcomes like lowering blood pressure, reducing the risk for heart disease, and fighting inflammation.
New Orleans folk call that lagniappe: an added, unexpected gift or benefit. And isn’t that so much nicer than denying yourself something?
So this year, my resolution is to not make any that don’t inherently bring me joy and reward me for doing something nice. Try it for yourselves and please let me know how it goes. You may be pleasantly surprised.
Wishing you all joy and happiness in the new year!
