As we welcome 2024, Americans are seeking ways to uphold their New Year’s resolutions. Some people hope to adopt practical goals, like eating healthier or exercising more. Others, however, might be taking on more ambitious and unrealistic resolutions, often leading to disappointment.
Straight Arrow News contributor Ruben Navarrette is happy to bid 2023 farewell. Navarrette ushers in the new year with a positive, impactful resolution that he believes can be actionable starting today.
Here is my New Year’s resolution for the 340 million people who occupy this wild and crazy country with all the quirks and idiosyncrasies.
We need to stop wishing for prosperity, which is commonly defined as success, wealth and fame, and instead resolve to become better people. Simply that, just that. Because guess what? That is not as simple as it sounds.
Achieving that goal of becoming better people begins with trying to make sure that every single one of your personal interactions with fellow human beings this year is positive and uplifting. Think about the impression you’re making, and make sure it’s a good one. What’s the cost of that? What does that really cost? Absolutely nothing. You can take your belief seriously without always doing the same with yourself. You’re no better or worse than anyone else. We’re all struggling, every day, to complete this marathon through this thing called life.
Here’s what you want to do: You want to make sure people feel good for meeting you and having spent time in your company. You want to listen more, talk less, communicate clearly, and show genuine interest in getting to know people. You want to ask to hear their stories, and then really pay attention. You want to be compassionate, curious, kind and caring. You want to be understanding, empathetic and open-minded. You want to think critically and resist the temptation to be sanctimonious, condescending or snarky. You want to let people know that they don’t have to agree with you in order for you to respect their opinion.
Most of all, you want to do what you can to bring this divided country together, instead of furthering the process of tearing it apart.
