6 New Year's Resolutions for People in Their 30s

When you think of people in their 30s, you realize what a diverse group we are. Some of us are married with kids and reliable jobs. Some of us are out having adventures or trying to find ourselves. Some of us are somewhere in between. There's no right way to be thirtysomething, but as with anyone, sometimes we forget how fast time goes and how we should be really putting our lives to use- whether that means raising a family, chillin' with friends, or traveling the world. So as another New Year comes around (shout out to anyone born in '77 - welcome to the club), here are some things I think 30-somethings of any style would be better off resolving to do - and actually doing.

Make this the year you start living healthy. Okay, all you healthy eaters out there, skip down to the next resolution. The rest of you, listen here: diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, stroke, all those things we never thought applied to us because we were young and could subsist on ramen noodles and pizza, no problem? Well, they're coming for us, and soon. It's time to start using that food pyramid on the Cheerios box for something other than showing you niece what a triangle looks like. The older you get, the tougher it seems to break bad eating habits, but the time is now. Fruits, vegetables, low fat protein, high fiber carbs, portion control: let these be your new hanging out buddies. Sensible, healthy eating can, I've heard, add years to your life. So let's start adding now. Which isn't to say give up M&M's completely… but make small changes as the year goes on and be healthier for it. And while we're at it, let's all start working out, too, because diet isn't enough to get your healthy.

Be less techno-obsessed. How many times a day do you check your email? Do you have enough functions on your phone to launch a rocket? Have you got ten weeks of TV backlogged between your TiVo, your online viewing, and those dvds your friend with the dvr burned for you? Maybe this is the year to make your life a little less fast-paced and techno-dependent. There are so many great things that come from technology: fun things, important things, time-saving things. But along with the greatness that is the ipod, online shopping and Playstation, there are sometimes negative payoffs: less time spend with actual people, buying stuff you can't afford just to keep up with the Jones, losing anything resembling patience or an attention span. "I want to download an Oompah Loompah now." I recently got DSL and it was amazing (and scary) how fast I went from "Wow this is so much faster!" to "Man, this is taking too long…" Why don't we resolve to be a little less gadget infatuated? Maybe in return we'll be a little more in tune with ourselves and those around us. Maybe not, but it's worth a try.

Stop caring about Brittany, Lindsay, and Paris unless they happen to be the names of your kids or dogs. I am not a big gossip fiend, but, like everyone, I have certain shows, movies, and stars I take in interest in from time to time. Brittany Spears, Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton would not be on that list, and I highly recommend the starlet-gossip free lifestyle to all people in my age group. First of all, they don't really do anything interesting. Second of all, they don't really do anything - at all. Sure, we all complain from our high horses "Why are they always in the news?" Well, it's not because some fifteen year old is reading Us Magazine, people. It's because adults our age care, senselessly, about what these youngsters are doing. Why? These are girls that teeny-boppers care about - not adults who have lives and jobs and families. These women and their peers have nothing to offer but a waste of time. In general, gossip is bad, but gossip about people just barely out of their teens, people, it's not for us. If you must turn to gossip for your relaxation, at least pick on an adult. Or better yet: READ A BOOK!

Discover the greatest generation. And I don't mean us, though we are pretty great. It's a sad fact that the people who grew up in the Depression, fought WWII and built Post-War America will not be with us forever. As time goes on, the generation Tom Brokaw dubbed "the greatest" will dwindle in numbers. If you're lucky enough to have relatives in their 80s, why not resolve to talk to them about their experiences - whatever they want to tell you about. When I was in middle school, I interviewed a relative who has since passed away, and I'll treasure forever the things I learned about her and about the world she lived in. If you don't have relatives from that generation, why not seek one out in your church or volunteer at a senior center and get to know the people there. It's up to us to carry on the legacy of this amazing generation, so why not resolve to learn some of their stories?

Do "it". No, not that "it." What I mean is, that thing, that one thing you've always wanted to do, or wanted to do a lot lately- change jobs, start that creative project, find a way to pay off your credit cards, take the family to Disney World- do it this year. That big thing you've wanted to do but keep putting off? Resolve to do it, or start it, or do what you need to do to get to that final goal. Just take action on that dream you keep putting off. Time's flying, I mean, look at us: we're in our 30s. No time like the new year to commit to making that special "it" a reality.

Take the lead. If you're 30-something and already the president of a company, the PTA, or a U.S. Senator or something, you may not need this resolution. Some of those, are in our 30s, but not quite confident enough to stand up and take the lead. Yes, people in their 30s still have tons to learn about life, but we also have experiences, as well as energy and ideas. Why not resolve this year to take the lead in some way - maybe by doing things for your parents instead of vice versa, maybe by leading something at your kids' school, maybe by taking on more responsibility at work, maybe by mentoring kids if you don't have kids of your own. Whatever it is, take a chance if you haven't led before and step up to lead. Don't tune out people who can offer good advice - but don't sell yourself short, either. You're in your 30s, time to start in on that plan for world domination.
Whether you're a footloose, fancy free single person something or a fulltime parent with a job and a mortgage, if you're in your thirties, you're still pretty darn young! Don't let youth be wasted on you. Take advantage of the new year to make your life bigger and better than ever.