The Cleveland Daily Banner | Page 22

22—Cleveland Daily Banner—Sunday, January 3, 2016

Editorial

www.clevelandbanner.com

Living life with hope and joy

‘What doesn’t kill you makes you’ is a theme
A warm hello to 2016; in life that many could embrace in a new year

we’ll get what we put in

A

lready three days into
the new year, it seems
wrong to be offering
thoughts on 2016 resolutions.
So, we’ll be wrong.
Besides, editorializing on New
Year’s resolutions today provides further impetus for those
who have made it into Day 3 of
their life-changing commitment.
On Jan. 1, 2015, we offered
editorially as a salute to the
incoming year, “Another year,
another you. Or will it be the
same you? Only you, and only
should you, be the one to
decide.”
We took a similar stand the
year before that, and the year
before that. And probably, the
year before that.
Our reference on each occasion, and still is, was to the everpopular — or, in the minds of
some, ever-dreaded — pledges
to make personal change.
As for those 2015 aims, we
hope your mission — in whatever form or fashion — has been
successful.
If it has, may we offer,
“Congratulations!”
If it has not, may we suggest
trying again ... if it is indeed a
change you want to make. May
we also suggest the only unique
property to New Year’s resolutions is their date. Self-ascribed
change can come at any time of
the year. It doesn’t have to begin
Jan. 1. It doesn’t have to end
Dec. 31.
The subject of New Year’s resolutions inarguably is one of the
most talked about issues of the
holiday season ... which hasn’t
ended. We still have college
football’s national championship
game and Super Bowl Sunday
looming. In terms of being a hot
topic, resolutions rank right up
there with Black Friday, favorite
Christmas gifts, the college bowl
games and black-eyed peas.
Their order of priority depends
upon the interests of the individual reveler.
Admittedly, some hate New
Year’s resolutions. Some love
them. Some fall somewhere in
the vast in between.
Regardless of one’s sentiments toward this idealistic ritual, it is always fun to explore the
Top 10 list of America’s favorites.
We took this journey for the first
time on Jan. 2, 2011. We have
re-explored it each New Year’s
Day since ... er, barring this
year’s exception in which we find
ourselves two days late.
Perhaps tardiness will
become one of our own resolutions for the new year.
Regardless, we find no plausible argument against delving
into the subject again as 2016
begins its exciting jaunt into the
here and now.
With that in mind, let us review
what Americans say are their
most popular resolutions. We
should mention this is not our
list. It is derived from the
research of several Internet sites
which dedicate their time, energy and attention to such matters.
We should also point out,
America’s resolutions — for the
most part — have remained
much the same, barring the
occasional swap in rank and priority.
As we have done in year’s
past, we will publish this “Top 10”
of New Year’s resolutions in
reverse order ... because we
want to.
We recommend comparing it
with your own. For those who do
not make New Year’s resolutions, nor have any interest in
those of others who do, we
would direct your attention to the
next page.
It is without further delay,
America’s ... sort of ... most common New Year’s resolutions:
No. 10: Help others. Those
whose lives are organized, who

don’t struggle with an unbalanced lifestyle and who aren’t
suffocating under work demands
often develop an eagerness to
make a difference in the lives of
others. It is called volunteerism.
No. 9: Get organized. Most
frequently, this means eliminating clutter by simplifying
lifestyles. It also alludes to taking
stock of our personal lives with
an intent on prioritizing what is
most important ... and then
doing it.
No. 8: Enjoy life more. This
one is open-ended depending
upon one’s definition of “enjoyment” or “personal fulfillment.”
Most resolve to do this by finding
more reasons to be at home and
spending quality time with family
and loved ones.
No. 7: Save more. Closely
akin to “Getting Out of Debt,” this
resolution has more to do with
curtailing discretionary spending. The best way to do it is to
open, and to contribute, to new
savings accounts using direct
deposit if it is available, or to
open IRAs or a 401(k).
No. 6: Spend more time with
family. This resolution is made
mostly by workaholics or at the
very least those whose jobs
require 60 hours or more a week
just to meet work demands. It is
also made by community stewards who routinely place the
needs of others ahead of their
own. For them, the secret is
learning to say “No.”
No. 5: Get out of debt. It takes
a commitment, a lot of willpower,
a little luck and a renewed mindset that says, “I don’t have to
own it just because I want it.”
No. 4: Stop smoking (or any
tobacco use). Today’s health
numbers, and rising insurance
rates, tell the story. It’s why many
are trying to kick tobacco’s butt.
No. 3: Quit drinking. Some
pledge to stop consuming alcohol altogether, others simply to
curtail the amounts.
No. 2: Exercise. Some might
place this in the “Lose Weight”
category, but our findings
showed that even the skinnyminis are getting more serious
about regular exercise because
it can help them as well to overcome stress, hypertension, high
cholesterol, pre-diabetes and
other ailments common to
today’s rat-race society.
No. 1: No drum roll is necessary because it was mentioned
in No. 2. The most popular resolution traditionally is “Lose
Weight.” One website we
explored reported more than
66 percent of American adults
are considered overweight or
obese. Remember, upon our
first printing of these facts, the
numbers were from 2011.
Googling the same subject for
2016 might show slight variation. But for the record, as
most would expect, this goal
showed up on every website
we visited.
Just as this newspaper does
not endorse political candidates,
we rarely favor one resolution
over another. If we did, we might
select Nos. 2, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10.
If pressed to condense, we
might pare it down to No. 6, 8
and 10.
We are our neighbor’s keeper.
And life is simply too short to
watch others suffer.
It isn’t so much about making
a difference as it is just reaching
out. One hand of care is always
better than two in the pockets.
And when good men look
away, it is our prayer that such
actions are intended only to find
answers in new directions.
We hope 2016 will be the year
of your dreams. But as with any
year, we will get out of it only
what we have put in.
Happy New Year, Cleveland
and Bradley County!
You have earned it.

By now, the celebratory confetti has settled, the bubbly has finished its bubbling,
and the renditions of “Auld Lang Syne”
have long since ce ased.
Now that 2016 is here in earnest, the
official celebrations have ended. However,
there are still plenty of reasons to celebrate
the new year.
Regardless of how the previous year
went, a new year can be an exhilarating
time.
It is exciting because it automatically
comes with a second chance. One must
decide how he or she is going to approach
a new year, and the decision can be to
make the new one better than the last.
I recently sat down with a journal and
pen to carry out my annual tradition of
making New Year’s resolutions.
Now, my making resolutions in the past
has not always worked out perfectly.
Despite my best intentions, I did not learn
all the new skills I planned to learn last
year. And there was at least one new leaf
left partially unturned.
While hardly anything about my 2015
went totally as planned, I have few regrets.
Some say what doesn’t kill you makes
you stronger. I say what doesn’t kill you
makes you; your experiences so often
shape who you become as the years go by.
This year, I challenge you to look back
on your experiences and use them to
become stronger, wiser and even more
ready to tackle what lies ahead.
You can never know for certain what the
future will bring, but you can work to
develop the determination to make it
through whatever might come.
Sometimes, being ready can involve
making — and keeping — New Year’s resolutions.
The website gobankingrates.com recently
surveyed a little over 5,000 people about
what their New Year’s resolutions were for
2016.
When given a list of options which
included worthwhile goals like “lose weight”
and “pay down debt,” most respondents
chose an option that was a little more

’STRONG
THOUGHTS
Christy Armstrong
Banner
Staff Writer

abstract. The majority, 45.7 percent, said
“enjoy life to the fullest” would be among
their top resolutions, and some even said
that would be the only resolution they
would make.
It’s worth noting that this popular resolution choice was very non-specific.
Enjoying life means many things for many
people, and that enjoyment can be the
result of meeting other goals (like becoming
debt-free).
What exactly “enjoy life to the fullest”
means will likely vary widely from person
to person, but it is a worthy goal nonetheless.
Though some resolutions are decidedly
personal and private, I am always interested in hearing about the goals my friends
and family have made.
Those who have been successful in carrying their goals with them throughout the
year seem to have all approached them
with similar attitudes. They say you must
resolve to make a new resolution each day,
and you have to recognize that even minor
progress is progress just the same.
Making a new resolution each day can
be as simple as getting your schedule in
order. Penciling in a new habit like working
out after work might just encourage you to
keep going to the gym.
It’s tempting to make lofty goals at the
start of a new year, but it is important to
realize progress can be a slow thing. One
may not suddenly become more organized,
but someone deciding to organize a desk or
closet one day is working toward the goal
of organization.
It all goes back to the idea of improvement being a process. Working toward a

goal — even if you do not fully reach it in a
year’s time — is worth your time.
Cynics will say making New Year’s resolutions is a moronic practice, because so
many end up breaking the promises they
make to themselves.
I tend to take the view that any striving
toward self-improvement is a good thing.
Remember, what doesn’t kill you makes
you. Perhaps the experiences you have
while working toward your resolutions’
goals will be the experiences that will most
shape who you become in a year’s time.
While one does not have to wait until a
new year rolls around to make a positive
change in his or her life, a new year is certainly as good a time as any to begin.
There is also something to be said for
the sense of wonder one tends to feel during the new year.
I had a relatively low-key New Year’s Eve,
walking from my house to another for a
quiet little party. As I strolled back home, I
couldn’t help but feel a sense of wonder in
light of the new year.
The crisp air, bright stars peeking
through the clouds and the fireworks
blasting into yellow and blue in the distance got me thinking about what 2016
would mean for me.
There is always room for celebration,
even after a crummy year. And there is
always an opportunity to start hoping for
new things.
I understand the skepticism a new year
can bring, especially if the previous one
was less than great. However, I hope you
can find it in yourself to hope.
Most people look forward to the holiday
season each year for the excitement it
brings, and the spirit of joy and giving
which accompany that time of year.
Why can’t that spirit last? I resolve to do
whatever I can to live my life with hope and
joy, and I hope you will as well.
———
(About the writer: Christy Armstrong is a
staff writer at the Cleveland Daily Banner.
Email her at [e-mail].)

ANNIE’S
MAILBOX
Dear Annie: “Michael” and I
have been dating for two years,
and I’m pretty sure that he’s the
one. He’s smart, funny and sensitive, and we agree on most
things.
One thing that we do not
agree on, however, is my 15year-old Pomeranian, “Clover.”
Clover has had a number of surgeries lately and for the past
eight months, has needed a
catheter. Michael believes that I
should put Clover down,
because she is in a lot of pain
and the veterinarian claims that
things are not likely to get better.
I appreciate Michael’s sympathy. I really do. I just wish that
he would put himself in my
shoes. I’ve had Clover since she
was a puppy. I consider her to
be one of my dearest friends. We
have been through so much
together that I cannot lose her if
I don’t have to. How do I explain
to Michael that I want to hold
onto my friend as long as possible? — Confused and Torn
Dear Confused: We know you
love Clover and want her around
forever. But you are hurting her
terribly. She is in constant pain.
She is not going to get better. In
fact, her pain may become
unbearable. A true friend does
not insist that her loving companion stay alive for her sake.
We realize that you don’t intend
to be so cruel to Clover simply

TODAY IN HISTORY
Today is Sunday, Jan. 3, the
third day of 2016. There are 363
days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History:
On Jan. 3, 1946, William
Joyce, the pro-Nazi radio propagandist known as “Lord HawHaw,”
was
hanged
at
Wandsworth Prison in London for
high treason.
On this date:
In 1521, Martin Luther was
excommunicated
from
the
Roman Catholic Church by Pope
Leo X.
In 1777, Gen. George
Washington’s army routed the
British in the Battle of Princeton,
New Jersey.
In 1870, groundbreaking took
place for the Brooklyn Bridge.
In 1911, the first postal savings banks were opened by what
was then called the U.S. Post
Office. (The banks were abolished in 1966.)
In 1938, the March of Dimes
campaign to fight polio was
established
by
President
Franklin D. Roosevelt, who himself had been afflicted with the
crippling disease.
In 1949, in a pair of rulings,
the U.S. Supreme Court said that
states had the right to ban closed
union shops.
In 1959, Alaska became the
49th state as President Dwight
D. Eisenhower signed a proclamation.
In 1967, Jack Ruby, the man
who shot and killed accused
presidential assassin Lee Harvey
Oswald, died in a Dallas hospital.
In 1977, Apple Computer was
incorporated in Cupertino,
California, by Steve Jobs, Steve
Wozniak and Mike Makkula Jr.

In 1980, conservationist Joy
Adamson, author of “Born Free,”
was killed in northern Kenya by a
former employee.
In 1990, ousted Panamanian
leader Manuel Noriega surrendered to U.S. forces, 10 days
after taking refuge in the
Vatican’s diplomatic mission.
In 2000, the last new daily
“Peanuts” strip by Charles
Schulz ran in 2,600 newspapers.
Ten years ago: Lobbyist Jack
Abramoff pleaded guilty to providing gifts to officials in
exchange for their help; he
agreed to cooperate in investigations of corruption in Congress.
Iran told the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency it planned to resume
nuclear fuel research. Militants
broke into the home of an Afghan
headmaster and decapitated him
in the latest in a spate of attacks
blamed on the Taliban that had
forced many schools to close.
Five years ago: Democrat
Jerry Brown was sworn in as
California’s 39th governor,
returning to the office he’d left 28
years earlier. Prosecutors in
Dallas
declared
Cornelius
Dupree Jr. innocent of a rape
and robbery that had put him in
prison for 30 years.
One year ago: Boko Haram
extremists kidnapped about 40
boys and young men and killed
scores of soldiers in a bold attack
on a multinational military base
in northern Nigeria. Abu Anas alLibi, 50, a man accused by U.S.
prosecutors of being an al-Qaida
member involved in the 1998
bombings of the U.S. embassies
in Kenya and Tanzania, died in
New York while awaiting trial.
Former U.S. Sen. Edward W.

Brooke, a liberal Republican who
became the first black in U.S.
history to win popular election to
the Senate, died in Coral Gables,
Florida, at age 95.
Today’s Birthdays: Record
producer Sir George Martin is 90.
Actor Dabney Coleman is 84.
Journalist-author Betty Rollin is
80. Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby
Hull is 77. Singer-songwriterproducer Van Dyke Parks is 73.
Musician Stephen Stills is 71.
Rock musician John Paul Jones
See ANNIE, Page 23
(Led Zeppelin) is 70.

Cleveland Daily Banner
– Established in 1854 –
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Stephen L. Crass

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Jim Bryant
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William Wright

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Richard Roberts
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Jack Bennett
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Sheena Meyer
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Richard Yarber

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