I’ve never been one to make New Year’s resolutions. To me the time for examining my life is on my birthday. And even then I don’t make resolutions. I make goals. I think of a resolution as promising to do better, promising not to screw up. How depressing is that? Goals, on the other hand, don’t involve feeling guilty. Goals are about planning and taking small steps. To me that seems much more doable. (As well as being less emotionally draining.)

My birthday is at the end of July so all this talk about resolutions is a good reminder for me to check up on my goals. While none of my goals are done, I’ve made progress on every one of them. When my birthday comes at the end of July I’ll see how I’ve done on my goals and set new ones. Even if I haven’t accomplished my goals 100 percent that’s OK. As long as I’ve made significant progress I’ll be happy.

As Conan Doyle said, “I am bound to think that all things are ordered for the best; though when the good is a furlong off, and we with our beetle eyes can only see three inches, it takes some confidence in general principles to pull us through.”