Remember Pinocchio? Every time he would tell a “tall tale”, his nose would grow longer. New Year’s Eve seems to be an opportune time for a nose job.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” />
 
Every year this decade, at precisely ten minutes to twelve on New Year’s Eve, Marc has promised that he would give up gambling, an area in which he demonstrated little expertise. And every February, you could bet Marc would be back at the track.
 
Last New Year’s Yvette resolved to successfully give up smoking cigarettes…just as she has done every New Year’s Eve for the past five years.
 
One New Year’s Eve, Patrick related a tale of woe in which he proposed a toast over dinner to “abstinence.” After quieting the rest of the dining area and prompting curious stares, he clarified that he intended to give up drinking for the forthcoming year. This lasted until January 12th, whereupon he “toasted” his birthday for the entire day; and then his grandmother’s the following day, former President Truman the day after that; the forthcoming spring season…
 
How many times have you earnestly planned to change some aspect of your life only to have it foiled by “fate” (some ethereal force on which we tend to blame our misfortunes when we choose not to assume responsibility)? Frequently, this leads to nothing more than disappointment. And remember, like a vacation, wedding, and home construction or remodeling, disappointment requires adequate planning!
 
Did you ever order more food in a restaurant than you were capable of eating and, disappointed at your judgment, end up taking the remainder home in a “doggie bag?” The same decision strategy may have allowed you to over-shop this Christmas. Not knowing what is operating inside you, merchants simply call this, “impulse buying.” How about the occasions in which you have told somebody you would meet them at a certain time and you were late…very late? These situations, like New Year’s resolutions, reflect biting off more than one can chew; going with the “heart” rather than planning what one knows or understands to likely occur.
 
Implicit in any New Year’s resolution is idea of “change.” After all, who resolves to keep things the same? Imagine hearing, “Next year, I plan to smoke just as much as I did this year.” A forecast that predictable could earn one a job on the weather channel!
 
To resolve to change something implies altering the meaning of an experience. On a regular basis, we sample our environment– a smorgasbord of daily events, many of which can threaten our well-being– and make many decisions within particular states of consciousness. A state of consciousness consists of stored experiences occurring under certain physiological conditions. For example, eating a chocolate mousse, your breathing may become shallow, heart beats faster; mouth begins to water as you review an unforgettable social event during which you sampled this dessert. Although some of the unfortunate decisions we make could be improved through some change, nothing will be gained by empty promises. To prevent your nose from growing, consider the following suggestions:

• (1) Identify the behavior you are resolving to change. Then consider what behavior you plan to do instead that is constructive. What can you do during the times you would ordinarily smoke, for example, that will make smoking unlikely?
• (2) When resolving to change a behavior, consider the consequences of not doing so. It can be rather embarrassing and disappointing to tell the immediate world that you plan to become a vegetarian and order steak every time you go out for dinner, claiming that vegetables only come with “dinner.”
• (3) When selecting a behavior to change on New Year’s Eve (if you really believe you must), choose those that are “realistic” according to your model of the world. That is, consider the ones in which you believe success is imminent. Resolving to change those aspects of yourself that you do not believe possible, will only confirm your fear of failure.
•  (4) Finally, ask yourself, “Is it really worth it?” Would you do better to just relax and have a good time, rather than creating expectations that may or may not come to fruition?.

 
So many people build a tower…so that they can then put a light on top…so that planes will not hit it! Happy New Year, and may all your tales be short and sweet.