Rut busting

Forget resolutions.

It's not that such vows for remodeling your life, body shape, or finances aren't worthwhile. But let's get real.

Surveys show that about half of us will have dropped that aerobics class by February. More times than not, resolutions end as exercises in guilt. Only about 1 in 5 Americans, according to a poll by Intuit, have the tenacity to stick to a New Year's resolution.

We might try to reverse engineer a resolution by resolving not to have a resolution. Or not.

But rather than completely jettison this silly ancient Roman tradition, perhaps we should simply change our modus operandi. Pare the grand ambitions. Ease out of the rut gently.

In the interest of practicing change in small doses, the Homefront staff offers the following suggestions:

Hate rock? Dare to go to an Aerosmith concert.

Take a different route home from work every so often.

Once a week, pick up an unusual cheese or fruit at the supermarket.

If you're an NPR listener, try Rush Limbaugh for a week.

Explore a museum you've never been to.

Visit a different church.

Have your hairstylist give you the cut she thinks would look best on you.

Have lunch with someone at the office you don't know well.

Call a high school or college chum you haven't spoken to in years.

Get up an hour earlier than normal.

Take an adult-education course in, say, Chinese cooking, opera appreciation, or join a reading group.

* We're home. Tell us how we're doing. Write the Homefront, One Norway Street, Boston, MA 02115 or e-mail us at home@csps.com

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