🏁 Axios Finish Line: Your '23 resolutions

Plus: 5 life tips | Monday, January 09, 2023

Open in app View in browser     Axios Finish Line By Mike Allen, Erica Pandey and Jim VandeHei ·Jan 09, 2023 Jan 09, 2023 Welcome back! Chat with us at finishline@axios.com. Smart Brevity™ count: 669 words ... 2½ mins.     1 big thing: What you resolve to do in '23 Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios   Hundreds of Finish Line readers sent us notes with their 2023 resolutions — small and large — and told us how they plan to tackle them. A few of your memorable resolutions: 1. Prioritize physical health. "Last year, I got into medical school and signed up to run the Boston Marathon. I am currently training and raising funds for Boston Medical Center before going off to school. This is the year I accomplish what I spent many past years working towards!" –Ian K., Boston "This year I'm picking a theme, self-care, and will choose a specific goal each quarter. This quarter it is not eating after dinner ... I'm augmenting it by adding in smaller weekly goals, like going for a walk with my spouse twice this week." –Lesly M., Bellevue, Wash. "I take each New Year's to pick up a new fitness-based habit, but I always keep two conditions to help make it easier — I keep it small, and I don't make it a hard rule. I've picked up fruit for breakfast, going vegetarian for lunch, average one soda per week, and taking a daily walk." –Mitchell T., Morrisville, N.C. "I run almost every day, but I'm way less consistent about strength training. My resolution is to incorporate a 10-minute strength workout into my routine three times per week." –Kerry G., Yorktown Heights, New York 2. Prioritize mental health. "I'm trying to journal every day. It's cathartic to get whatever is in my head out on paper. My rule for myself is no judgment — write wherever it takes me and trust the process. It doesn't have to be insightful or profound every time I pick up my pen." –Emily W., Broomfield, Colo. "I'm not a big believer in New Year's resolutions, but I've heard some people choose a word for the year. Usually, I think that's cheesy, but this year it really appeals to me. My word this year is 'pause.' So many things in life can benefit from a small pause — decisions, emotions, responding, and more. I'm excited to put pause into action this year!" –Becky M., Chicago "Simply being present, and unplugging when possible." –Judy B., New Cumberland, Penn. 3. Think about others and the world around us. "In an age of misunderstanding each other and the angst that has occurred because of knee-jerk reactions, it is important to understand that listening well to others before responding is the key to good relationships ... So my resolution is to wait until someone stops speaking, and count to two, mentally, before responding. Two seconds gives the brain enough time to hear, process, and determine whether my thought is a good verbal response. Plus, the person feels heard." –Amelia G., Jacksonville, Fla. "My wife, Krystee, and I are working hard to reduce our total garbage output to two bags maximum each week for our family.  We're doing this via composting and turning our waste into fertilizer for our gardens." –Kevin S., Atlanta 4. Try something new. "My partner and I resolved to try a new recipe once a week, usually reserved for Sunday dinner. We decided it doesn't need to be elaborate. It could be as simple as trying a different sauce or seasoning to a main dish." –Bruce H., San Diego     A message from Axios Executive Edge: 5 strategies for a strong start to 2023     On Jan 12, Jim will host a conversation with Intel's CCO and ID.me's CPO about the leadership strategies that help jumpstart productivity, inspire innovation and secure a culture of clear, transparent communication in a new year. Sign up to join     💡 Worthy of your time If you're still noodling on resolutions — or looking for tips on sticking to ones you've already set — a recent essay published in The Wall Street Journal is worth the read. Valerie Tiberius, a philosophy professor at the University of Minnesota, lays out five strategies to think more clearly about our values: "Try a Thought Experiment ... Observe Your Behavior ... Ask Yourself Questions ... Learn From Other People ... Explore New Possibilities." Sneak peek: "Try thinking about what you'd grab from your home if it were on fire and you had to get out fast." Dive in (subscription).   This newsletter was copy edited by Patricia Guadalupe. Are you a fan of this email format? Your essential communications — to staff, clients and other stakeholders — can have the same style. Axios HQ, a powerful platform, will help you do it.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. 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