It’s that time of year again. 2017 is officially here and with it comes a feeling of newness and starting over. If you’re like me, at the stroke of midnight, you raise your glass of champagne (or whatever your celebratory New Year’s drink of choice is) and toast to the new year and the fresh start that comes with it.

The new year is often when we make resolutions and set goals for ourselves.

The tradition of New Year’s resolutions is said to have started some 4,000 years ago when the ancient Babylonians held the first-recorded new year celebrations. At the time, the year begin in mid-March, when the crops were planted. During the 12-day festival known as Akitu, the Babylonians either crowned a new king or reaffirmed the current king and also swore to their gods that they would pay their debts and return borrowed objects. If they kept the promises, the gods would supposedly look kindly on them and make them prosperous in the new year.

Similar celebrations took place in Rome after Julius Caesar made January 1 the beginning of the new year. The month was named for Janus, the two-faced god who was said to look back at the previous year and ahead into the coming year.

In the 16th century, early Christians viewed the day as an opportunity to look back on the past mistakes and decided to do better in the future.

Today, about 45 percent of all Americans make a resolution on or after New Years. The bad news is that more than 80 percent of those resolutions are either short-lived or never come to pass.

 

So, here’s a thought: instead of setting a big goal that’s overwhelming and unrealistic, make bite-size resolutions that are within your reach. Let’s seek to do better and look to the future with hope!

Instead of starting a drastic diet to lose weight, work on filling your fridge with fruits/vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains. Instead of going cold turkey on social media and television, limit yourself to an hour a day or use it as a reward for getting items on your to-do list done.

Rather than throwing out everything in an attempt to declutter and reorganize, take one room at a time and donate the items to the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center or the Jonnycake Center.

We’ve put together a list of free classes and services that might help you succeed in whatever resolutions and goals you might make for 2017.

  • Free Youth Mental Health First Aid classes for adults who work with young people (ages 12-18) at Westerly Hospital on Saturday, Jan. 21 and Saturday, Feb. 4 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
  • Free meditation class at the Westerly Public Library on Jan. 17 from 6-6:45 p.m. All ages and experience levels welcome.
  • Free consumer education classes at the Westerly Public Library in January, February and March.
  • Free tax prep assistance from AARP at the Westerly Senior Center for area residents of all ages from February to March. Make sure you’re getting the best tax return possible. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.
  • Free Tai Chi classes at the Tower Street School Community Center every Tuesday morning from 8-9 a.m. Register at www.93tower.org.
  • Free Irish language classes at the Tower Street School Community Center on the first and third Thursdays from 6-7:30 p.m. Register at 93tower.org.
  • Free job training at the Jonnycake Center beginning Jan. 16. The 8-week training includes Microsoft Office certification, essential skills training, TIPS certification and a $200/week stipend and 2-week paid internship with a local employer. Call The Jonnycake Social Services Department, at 401-377-8069 x #101.