What’s Not On My New Year’s Resolution List(And Why)

Every time this year millions of people make plans about what they’re going to change in their life. But not me. I’ve always hated New Year’s Resolutions. Part of it is that I’ll set unachievable goals for myself; part of it is that, if I want to change my life in September, I’m not going to wait until January to do it. Here are the things that you won’t find on my list:

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1. Dieting, because that’s no fun. I’m a healthy eater. I eat my greens, just sometimes that’s in the form of mint chip ice cream. I can deal with it.

2. Running a marathon. Yes, I’m signed up for one, and yes, I intend to train as best I can for the big day. But no one should push their body through 26.2 miles if it’s not ready for that. Instead of making your fitness resolution about the end point, make it about the journey.

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3. Eating less chocolate, for the same reason as number 1.

4. Watching less TV. I admire Heather for her own goal but that’d be a lonely extra 12 hours each day.

5. Tweet less. I’m a bird and I’m going to chirp, chirp, chirp.

6. Going to bed earlier, because if I went to bed any earlier I’d miss my primetime television(see number 4).

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7. Giving up coffee for green tea. It’s not the same; don’t let anyone tell you differently.

8. Being on The Today Show, because I don’t want to start getting desperate around next November and start sending kids through the air in silver balloons.

What does that leave? I’m not quite sure. I’ll leave it until 2012 to figure that out.

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26 Responses to What’s Not On My New Year’s Resolution List(And Why)
  1. JL goes Vegan
    January 1, 2011 | 10:23 am

    Ha! Love our “non”-resolutions! I’m with you on the journey. To easy to declare definitives when, in fact, just getting there (or trying to) can be the best part!

    I’ve enjoyed reading your blog this year…particularly your vegan recipes 😉

    Happy New Year!

  2. MarathonVal
    January 1, 2011 | 10:24 am

    Haha cute post Evan. Happy New Year!!

  3. Alexis
    January 1, 2011 | 10:34 am

    Love these! Especially #7. I’ve tried that tea-instead-of-coffee thing, and it just *doesn’t* work.

  4. Emily @ Relishments
    January 1, 2011 | 10:40 am

    Love this! Thank you for starting my new year off with a smile.

  5. Sarah
    January 1, 2011 | 10:41 am

    Happy New Year, Evan!

    Love your not resolutions. I am with you for most of them in fact 🙂

  6. Sara
    January 1, 2011 | 12:33 pm

    LOL you’re awesome 🙂

  7. Rachel (tea and chocolate)
    January 1, 2011 | 12:39 pm

    Ha great post! I feel the same way about resolutions. As soon as write goals down and make them something I have to do, I’ll never do them.

    Happy New Year’s Day, Evan!

  8. Mara @ What's For Dinner?
    January 1, 2011 | 1:59 pm

    You crack me up!! Happy new year 🙂

  9. Clare @ Fitting It All In
    January 1, 2011 | 2:03 pm

    hahah love your opposite of goals post. Happy New year!

  10. Ian
    January 1, 2011 | 2:15 pm

    I absolutely 100% agree with your list 🙂 good luck w/ the 26.2 you’ll rock it! And coffee = love

  11. janetha @ meals and moves
    January 1, 2011 | 3:05 pm

    hahahaha you kill me.

  12. Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga)
    January 1, 2011 | 4:28 pm

    I love your anti-resolutions! Too funny! And I agree..there is no way that tea tastes like coffee. It just doesnt. It isn’t the same. It’s fine, but it’s not coffee.

    Thank you so much for your Rebel email! I will definitely hit you up for help on mine. I am taking the battery out of the charger in about an hour and let the fun begin 🙂

    Happy 2011, Evan!!

  13. Erin
    January 1, 2011 | 4:37 pm

    Amen and I totally feel you.

  14. Victoria (District Chocoholic)
    January 1, 2011 | 5:01 pm

    I would support #3 if it were “eat BETTER chocolate and cut out bad chocolate.”

  15. rebecca lustig
    January 1, 2011 | 5:04 pm

    you crack me up! i like the one about coffee. it is NOT the same as tea. not even close. they work separate and wonderful wonders though!

  16. Kate (What Kate is Cooking)
    January 1, 2011 | 5:20 pm

    I think it’s so important to listen to your body when it comes to training for a marathon. No matter what happens, training for one is an accomplishment on its own! Most people won’t even think about doing one 🙂

  17. Kristina at spabettie
    January 1, 2011 | 6:53 pm

    great list and great attitude. also? I am VERY happy you’re not going to be the next balloon hoax. that was extremely… *sigh*

    HAPPY NEW YEAR!

  18. Ela
    January 1, 2011 | 7:00 pm

    Happy new year!

    I love this spin on the resolutions! I believe that there’s some collective energy that can be harnessed for making resolutions, but also that the equinoxes and solstices have been seen as the start of the new year in different cultures forever, so really if we want to make resolutions we should at least use those seasonal markers to renew/check in on them quarterly.

    _Really_ glad that the marathon isn’t on your list as a must-do: awesome if you can do it, but I’ve heard troubling things about the long-term effects.

    I can’t drink coffee or tea (because of adrenal problems) but wouldn’t dream of telling someone that they’re interchangeable. And while tea just keeps me awake for whole nights, coffee is just like an amphetamine for me, so I couldn’t possibly say that they’re similar, even aside from the different tastes!

    love
    Ela

  19. FoodCents
    January 1, 2011 | 7:12 pm

    Evan, you are too wise beyond your years. Always a refreshing voice in a world of imitation meats/sweets.

  20. Baking 'n' Books
    January 2, 2011 | 1:49 am

    Now these are resolutions that I can get behind! Agreed on all – why? Because they are what YOU want. Your not following a norm, a trend, or what you SHOULD do.

    Live A Little right?! Because life is too short not too enjoy good chocolate, good cooking oils, good times…and good TV 😉

  21. Kimba's Kitchen
    January 2, 2011 | 1:52 am

    That is a great list of non-resolutions! Well done 🙂

  22. Nourhan @ Miss Anthropist's Kitchen
    January 2, 2011 | 10:30 am

    This is too funny! Let’s hope you can stick with the non-resolutions as well. 😀

  23. Ana
    January 2, 2011 | 4:23 pm

    I LOVE this post!! It is the best New Year’s (not) Resolution List I have ever seen! Awesome, you are on the right pathway for success Evan!
    Ana

  24. Hannah
    January 4, 2011 | 10:11 pm

    Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant! I’ve never been one to make NY Resolutions either, and this post is so wonderfully refreshing. I always feel a bit guilty reading others’ ideas as I have no intention of restricting my chocolate, I’m still scared of exercise post-toe-surgery, and I like being a night-owl. Hurrah for your awesomeness!

  25. Holly
    January 6, 2011 | 5:36 pm

    7. Giving up coffee for green tea. It’s not the same; don’t let anyone tell you differently.

    amen brother, amen.

  26. Gena
    January 9, 2011 | 10:56 pm

    Awesome post, my fellow java lover. Quitting the bean is certainly not on my list of resolutions. Neither is running a marathon, or running at a pace about 5.5, for that matter. I’m also not interested in sculpting any particular body part. I don’t want to lose pounds, eat more perfectly than I do, or do a cleanse.

    I do want to be better about my budget, though, so I can afford more expensive groceries. That’s key.