My friend Julie came up with one of the better resolutions I’ve ever heard. Here’s what she is planning on doing:

She’s going to pick twelve friends/relatives. From this group she’ll decide on one specific trait that she admires in each person. Then each month she will try to incorporate that characteristic into her life–just for one month, unless she opts to continue. For example, for January is following in the footsteps of a friend of hers who truly lives by her convictions. So Julie, who supports the vegetarian lifestyle, but hasn’t lived as a vegetarian is going to go meatless for the month of January. She’ll be living by one of her own convictions. At the end of January she can stick with it or return to her carnivorous ways.

Why this is such a great idea:

1) It really makes you think about what it is you admire about the people who surround you (and you can let them know that too).

2) Each month you sort of get a new resolution, so […]