Eat more vegetables was my New Year's Resolution for many years.

Undoubtedly the vegetables would slowly rot in the fridge

along with my rotting resolution.

After recoiling from the putrid smells each time I opened my fridge,

I revised my resolution to: eat healthier.

The variety of glossy cookbooks I purchased, promising easy recipes

and a more fulfilling life, ended up collecting dust and my guilt of defeat.

I only like about five vegetables and I hate cooking.

Why would I resolve to increase these two things?

Would my life actually improve or become a daily experience of failure?

The answer, daily, smelly failure.

In recent years I've shifted my thinking from

New Year's resolutions to New Year's ambitions.

Ambition: a strong desire to do or achieve something that

typically requires determination and hard work.

I know how to do that! I've been successful at the things I love.

I googled, as I often do, "how do ambitious people behave?"

...through hard work and perseverance -

an ambitious person doesn't give up.

They are optimistic and avoid negativity.

They make obstacles and challenges serve their

dreams and goals by making something good come from them.

Hmmmm. I never remember thinking,

these Brussel sprouts are going to taste amazing.

I remember thinking every negative thought about that cabbage freak.

Admitting my pessimistic outlook toward vegetables and cooking

was freeing. I could toss out the several boxes of

Arm and Hammer baking soda lining the back of my fridge.

My vegetable drawer was now full of what I love,

cheese!

This New Year's eve I'll have a sharp knife,

a block of smoked gouda

and the ambition to eat only half the block.

I won't give up.

Cheers to your 2025 ambitions!

Good riddance to rotting resolutions!