{do good}

I came home in the new year from our long vacation with a mind brimming with fresh inspiration.

Celebrating New Year's always brings with it a burst of new goals, plans, and at least temporary motivation to tackle those areas of life that haven't quite been up to snuff. 

I hesitate to make resolutions each year, knowing the sad statistical truths about how very few are likely to be kept. 

And yet, with so much inspiration and fresh motivation, why not resolve to try, try again? 

I have already been motivated for the past several months to change some of my daily habits of eating, exercise, etc. I don't actually own a scale and have been trying to make my lifestyle changes more about health than about plain old numbers. And now I've entered the new year with a few new challenges from a doctor after a test confirmed my adrenal gland is acting up (or rather, down). Which means no sugar, wheat, starch, and chocolate, among other things. It means even more exercise, more frequent (healthy) snacks, and more vitamins. Less caffeine and dairy. More protein and veggies, as always. The no sugar/chocolate deal is super duper hard for me, as most of you can guess, but so far, so good. I may not succeed in completely sticking with these new guidelines at all times, but I know I have to start somewhere and try to persist, no matter how many times I fail.

But my bigger resolution, the one that really sticks out in my mind, the one I want you to share in, is just like it sounds. To get up each day and think to myself:

"What good can I do today?" 

What good can I do for myself, for my health, my family, my future today?

What good can I do for my neighbor, my friend, or a stranger today?

What good can I do to improve my home, my finances, my community, my country? 

And there is so, so much good to be done!

There are big things, like volunteering, writing to our senators, and working in our communities.

And there are small things, like making healthy meals, making our beds, and yes, even skipping that sugary snack and going for a walk. 

There are also incredibly meaningful things to be done that take almost no time at all. Like writing an encouraging note to a friend (I received one recently that brought so many happy tears to my eyes). Or taking the time to pray with someone, to speak lovingly to a child, to take a meal to a needy family.

So much good can come of planting flowers, letting in the car next to you, or counting to ten.

If I can do even one small good thing each day, I will count this year a roaring success. 

Have a good year, my friends!