New Year resolutions, how many of you make them? I think in theory it is a good idea, but I have never been one to do them. I probably should make a few of them like, lose weight, eat less junk, exercise more, stress less and go to church more. I have never needed a start of the new year to want to lose weight, it is usually some upcoming special event I have to dress up for or the fact I can’t button my pants and bend over that leads to me wanting to lose weight and eat less junk! I tend to think I get enough exercise around the farm but probably not the right kind and stress is just a part of my life. Church, I know I don’t go enough but I try to make up for that at home and my stepmom sends out a daily devotional reading in the family group text.
Probably the most consistent resolution type thing I have ever done over the years involves doing more stuff. My husband will attest to the fact that I do NOT need more stuff to do, but I like to stay busy!
I am by no means a serious runner but over the past 11 years, I have completed over fifty 5K runs that have been mostly trail runs. I started running/walking when my son was in high school, and it was a way for him to keep in shape for football and cross country. It was also a great way for us to spend time together because we all know teenage boys don’t like to hang out with their mom! We completed a 10 mile tough mudder, a zombie style run in KC, various obstacle style runs and numerous trail runs.
When my son went off to college, I started doing runs on my own but also included my husky as my new running partner. I also did 2 half-marathons one year and I was not a fan because it required so much preparation and long distance running AND it cut into the time I spent with the show cattle LOL!
A few years ago, my cousins and I decided to do a series of trail runs that involved 6 different state parks in Oklahoma. My cousins are about as serious of runners as I am and one of them walks the 3.1 miles that make up a 5K. These runs involved preparation and planning and some bit of resolution type dedication. The resolution to eat better, to put in a few 3 mile runs each week to stay in shape and have stamina and of course the planning to get to the runs which were located all over Oklahoma. We had a great time and saw several state parks we had never seen in all our years growing up in Oklahoma and learned a lot about the history of the park and the area. We also ate a lot of good Mexican food because you are starving after these kinds of things.
We really enjoyed the family time we spent together and it was great to talk about our grandparents and days from our youth and all the great memories. This was definitely one of those ‘resolutions’ that we were all glad we made and stuck to that year. Family time is one of those things you will never regret spending and I am hoping to do more of that in the upcoming year.
Each year I try to focus on things that I would like to do more of or be more involved in. It doesn’t always happen and some years I only do a few things and sometimes I don’t even get started. I am not sure if that makes it an unfulfilled resolution or if it is even a resolution at all. None of us like to fail at anything and I am sure most people that make a resolution never follow thru with it. So instead of making a resolution I just make some goals to complete and a list of the small tasks I have to do to reach that goal.
I have not put much thought into what goals I want for 2025 but I know on that list will be more ways to keep my body moving which may include some new trail runs. Hopefully eat less junk! Probably some new cattle shows in places I have never been, focusing on getting some of our cows AI’d to some different bulls and buying a few new heifers. My son and daughter-in-law will be moving back to Missouri once he graduates from K-State and I am sure I will spend more time seeing them since they will be closer. My daughter has convinced her husband that 5Ks are fun, so I am sure we will be spending some time together doing more runs. I also plan to mention to my cousins that we should maybe do that series of trail runs again, just because they have some new medal designs that would be fun to add to the collection!
Whatever you do for 2025, make sure it involves some you time, some family time and maybe some down time. Down time will probably not be on my list, but I may jot it down as an idea and not a goal!
Debbie Elder is a native of Ottawa County, Okla. and lives on her farm in Webster County, Mo. To contact Debbie, call 1-866-532-1960 or by email at [email protected].
