“I’m going to exercise five times a week. I mean… what’s so hard about that?”

“And I’m going to lose 20 pounds!”

The familiar chatter heard just days after the new year arrives, as Americans job on unfamiliar treadmills, “determined” to get rid of a few extra holiday pounds.

Every January, fitness centers all over the country flood with new members and last year’s hopefuls, all who believe in themselves just enough to think that this year will be different.

Though each new year brings with it a wave of refreshing optimism, it also brings a stale, self-centered list of resolutions and occasional new, outrageous one like “learn how to juggle…with knives.” They all disappear before February arrives.

This is what comes to mind when I think of an average New Year’s Resolution List:

• Lose weight
• Exercise
• Go to the gym
• Lose weight
• Eat healthier
• Quit smoking 
• Lose more weight
• Make more money
• Spend less money 
• Be nice to little brother
• Keep room clean
• Make bed everyday
• Learn to speak five languages fluently
• Lose weight again

If this list looks strangely familiar, then you’re guilty of being ordinary.  There is no harm in wanting to be healthy or successful, but it’s sad when people just want to fit into one of America’s unforgiving images. It’s time to get creative and look at resolutions in a new light.

This year, my New Year’s Resolutions had to do with other people as much as myself. They fell under two broad categories: 1) important aspirations without time constraints and 2) improvements in my character and behavior.

For number one, I’ve decided to travel to other parts of the world to help people who need it more than we do.  Number two includes be less snappy with mom.  Making people happy is what I care about most; it’s the incentive that helps me keep my resolutions.

You could also try making resolutions that are impossible to disregard. example, choose something flexible like “brush teeth at least every other day” (because sadly for some, everyday might be pushing it) or something vague like “go to school.”

The important thing is to keep your resolutions creative, important, and flexible.