Compiled by Forrest Preece
My resolution this year sounds simple but encompasses many things. I have resolved to take a deep breath when confronted by the myriad difficulties we face today. In that breath, I will be seeking patience and clarity. I will be trying to give myself permission not to engage or to find strength for the struggle. I will be seeking a second of grace before moving forward.
--Kim Usey, Special education teacher and sometime writer
1.) I resolve to change nothing, because I was never the problem.
2.) I resolve to save money by shopping with intention, confidence, and zero restraint.
3.) I resolve to enter a room like an expense account with no oversight.
4.) I resolve to build outfits around one dramatic piece, and a strong sense of audacity.
5.) I resolve to pair wine with my emotions, and not food. And to stop drinking during the week. Unless something happens.
--Nathan Idais, Fashion Stylist
I like to start out each New Year with a journal entry, considering where in my life I am thriving, and where I need to improve, or what I want to work towards. I have been keeping a journal since March of 1980, when I was six years old. Journaling provides an avenue for me to explore my thoughts and feelings and keep track of my goals. I am a believer in the Journey of Life, not the Destination. So my goals or resolutions tend to be less of a destination, and more of a working towards. A guiding motto of mine is progress, not perfection. That is how I grow best, and that is how I like to mark the beginning of a New Year -- a New Opportunity to become closer to the Me I want to Become!
Blair Newberry, Chief Operating Officer, Tarrytown Pharmacy
A big focus for us in 2026 is to purge, purge, purge! Less is more for 2026 at our house. And yes, that includes my closet!
--Lisa Jasper, non-profit fundraiser
I have had so many friends either pass unexpectedly or experience serious health issues in the last year that it has inspired me to be more mindful of the gift that every day is. My close 3 a.m. escape from the July 4th flood on the Guadalupe River really brought this into focus for me. So my resolution for 2026 is to actually live each day with that in mind.
--Richard Craig, attorney and co-founder of Pease Park Conservancy
For 36 years, I spent New Year’s Eve at Jeffrey’s…teetering around with trays of martinis and trying not to put out an eye with a champagne cork. . . I believe they leave the bottle at 55 mph. Then having to sing Auld Lang Syne while listening to people mentioning diets and gyms. Yeah, right . . . like those are gonna last more than six weeks. These days, I usually watch the Wheel of Fortune and go to bed.
--Johnny Guffey, legendary server, professional dog-sitter.
I resolve: to stretch my mind (what’s left of it) with authors that are new to me; to maintain a Word document of the books I read; and to keep supporting the non-profit groups we love.
--Forrest Preece, consulting dilettante
To take myself less seriously!
--Mary Helen Specht, nationally known author
