GREENFIELD — With 2019 here, many people are started to think about their New Year’s Resolutions over the last week, and made them as bells rang late last night.
Others say they don’t believe in them. But, resolutions vary from weight loss, kindness or achieving goals like school or making more money. Some people want to be kind or improve the lives of others.
Claire Clingerman of Orange says she makes resolutions because she finds it fun to make goals.
“My resolution this year is to, no matter what, keep caring about others,” Clingerman says. “The important part is ‘no matter what,’ because sometimes life happens, and I have to continue to be caring and pass it on.”
Ann Marie Meltzer of Greenfield says she is Jewish and celebrated Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, a couple of months ago.
“I made a resolution to spend one-on-one time with people, without an agenda,” said Meltzer. “I called someone the other day and after we said ‘hi’ and ‘how are you,’ they asked why I had called. I said ‘I just wanted to call.’ Then they began to cry. So I want to continue working on ‘just because.’”
Henry Leuchtman of Greenfield says he wants to work on being more selfless.
“They say the opposite of good is not evil, it’s selfishness,” Leuchtman says. “So I resolve to be selfless. I resolve to be better next year.”
Mike Ober of Greenfield says he wants to be able to make changes in the new year.
“I want to make changes, like my living situation,” Ober says. “The new year kicks off the changes, so it’s good to make changes. I’d also like to quit smoking.”
Two friends, Garrett Connelly and Ted Scott of Greenfield, say they want more broad resolutions.
“I think it’s important to make a change for the climate, peace and justice,” Scott says.
“I don’t usually make them (resolutions), but I think we have reached the point where unless we make a resolution to change what we’re doing — it’s going to be too late,” Connelly says.
The two say they have been doing demonstrations for peace since about 2003.
Like Connelly, Melissa Kane of Greenfield says she doesn’t make New Year’s resolutions, but tries to “set intentions.”
“I like to practice setting intentions, like a form of visioning, and that’s an ongoing practice,” Kane says. “I thinking about what my intentions are before I do a lot of things. Sometimes, around my birthday or New Year’s, I go deeper, or think about things that are important at that time.”
Tyler Burt and Kayden Richardson of Erving say they both want to graduate with associate’s degrees in 2019.
“We also want to take our dog out hiking more,” Richardson says.
Shayna Phillips of Greenfield says she also wants to achieve academic goals.
“I want to transfer from my current college, and finish college getting my nursing degree,” Phillips says.
Other people have larger aspirations, like Megan Adams of Northfield, who says she wants to be a millionaire.
“My resolutions are to become a millionaire and be less antisocial,” Adams said. “Although, I think that goals shouldn’t be exclusive to New Year’s.”
Her mother Helen Adams of Northfield says she likes to set goals for the new year.
“Well, like a lot of people, I’d like to lose wight,” Adams says. “But mostly, I would like to be more kind. It’s a good time to set goals — not forced to, but reminded.”