I don't make much of a fuss about New Year's resolutions. After all, I reason, my list from this year isn't wrapped up and is giving me enough room for growth. I'm not looking to stretch myself because of the flip of the calendar.

But then I remember that I do, in fact, make one non-resolution, resolution every year.

I call it that because it's less of a "to do" and more of a posture. In fact, as resolutions go, it's rather underwhelming.

The four words:

Try something new daily.

I've made this "resolution" for ages. I can't change my goal to do "new." Ironic, don't you think?

Still, the consistency helps me remember my plan. It helps me lean towards saying "yes" to the unfamiliar and keeps me looking for freshness. Of course, 99% of the time, this plays out in little things.

Something new often involves FOOD (of course!):

What to eat
How to cook
What to order
What to buy
Which recipe to try
Which restaurant to visit

Something new often involves exploring my physical space:

Trying a new route to work
Fighting traffic with new techniques (I follow cars who seem to confidently follow a different path -- do you ever do that?)
Taking a street just to see where it leads
Hunting for a new getaway spot

The easiest "new introduction" is with reading:

Change my news source (bye-bye Twitter)
Pick up a different author
Read a book from a new genre
Explore a different section of the library

The toughest "new" always involves meeting new people:

Cold call someone a friend said I should meet
Attend a parent meeting I would normally skip
Be the first one in on the table introductions
Engage in the chat with my "seatmate" on the plane (bye-bye headphones)

You can see how the categories grow. There can be one for fashion or one for gardening. You could make one for crafting or parenting. The options are endless.

I don't view this as a strict, check off the "new thing" list, but I DO plant it in the back of my brain to remind me of what I value: growth.

Are you a resolution person? What works for you? What keeps you growing?!

The Annual Four Word Resolution

Try something new daily.