2018

I read an article this morning in my beloved NY Times on how to keep one's New Year's Resolutions.  I'm not really interested in making any resolutions this year (laziness, fear of failure), so reading the article was more an exercise in voyeurism than anything else, but I'm glad I did.

Apparently, evidence suggests willpower is not the way to go.  Better, in terms of taming yourself, to harness the prosocial emotions of gratitude, pride, and compassion.  Willpower drains us, per the author; gratitude, pride, and compassion strengthen our abilities and resolve.

I think this is probably true.

I'm going to try making this trio -gratitude; pride; compassion- my daily touchstones for 2018.  I know I need something.

Gratitude: Central heating is the best.
Pride: I grew my teaching business this year.
Compassion: The coworker by whom I feel bulldozed is probably going through a rough time.