It's that time of year when many of us make promises to ourselves to do better, to be better. We call those promises New Year's resolutions. Let's talk today about New Year's resolutions, about the promises we make to change for the better, about how well --or how poorly-- they work. And let's explore what it is that determines whether or not our efforts to improve ourselves are effective. The conversation I'm inviting you to join can have several levels. On the first level, I invite you to call in to describe your New Year's resolutions for the coming year. What are you resolving to do, and why? How do you plan to go about trying to keep your resolution? What do you think will happen with it during the course of the year? That's where I'd like to start. And that could be enough. But I hope we can take our exploration a little further. I also invite you to discuss with us your past experience making New Year's resolutions. What resolutions have you succeeded in keeping? What resolutions have fallen by the wayside? What did it take to succeed? What have you noticed --in your efforts at self-improvement-- seems to lead to failure? New Year's is not the only time, of course, that we make an effort to change in some way we think is desirable. Self-improvement is a mainstay of the American character. Breaking bad habits --for exampmle, giving up drink, or losing extra pounds, or getting more physically fit-- and forming good habaits --like keeping the discipline of a spiritual practice, or being kinder to other people, or spending time with the family-- you name it, we Americans are big on trying to become, each of us, the person we think we should be. It's a noble effort. Sometimes the effort works. Sometimes it doesn't. Maybe if we can understand better what kinds of efforts lead to success, and which to failure, we will do better. By "better," I guess I have two outcomes in mind. Achieving the goals we set for ourselves --keeping our resolutions, being better people-- is one of them. Having greater peace of mind --feeling more comfortable with who and what we are-- is another. Just how these goals might relate to each other is itself a question. Well, I hope you will call in and tell us about your experience with New Year's resolutions and the challenge of making oneself better. ??