It’s not too late, take a tip from the John Curley school of New Year’s resolutions

While some kissed their special someone at midnight, and then privately (or publicly) made a resolution for the New Year, it’s not too late. You could even get inspired by John Curley’s resolution philosophy.

“Starting in 1998 I decided I would make New Year’s resolutions that I knew that I could keep, that would be fun and sort of frivolous, but it would remind me to take a lighter look at life.”

It’s supposed to be fun, but it’s also supposed to be something that John believes he can accomplish for an entire year.

He kicked it off in 1998 when he resolved to put on one sock, then one shoe, followed by the other sock, and the other shoe. During the entirety of 1998, John claims he never put on sock-sock, shoe-shoe.

Over the years, the resolutions have helped John experience new things and people. One year, he resolved that during his trip to Costco, which he did about every two weeks, he would spend at least five minutes chatting with the sample person.

Another year, John decided he would eat a fish taco on days of the month that were prime numbers: 3, 5, 11, and so on.

“I’m not saying these are ingenious,” John said on Seattle’s Morning News as 2013 picked up steam on KIRO Radio.

His favorite resolution of all time, “always order the soup of the day.” John would never ask what it was, and he would never order a bowl, only a cup. “I wish I could go back to that one.”

Some resolutions were easier to keep than others. In 2000, John resolved to never pen his signature to a piece of paper. He made it until May, when he and his first wife were getting a divorce.

Sitting in a room with his now ex-wife and their attorneys, his lawyer asked him to sign and initial the documents.

He hesitated.

‘Are you having second thoughts about making it work?’ asked his attorney.

His ex-wife cleared it up, he was having second thoughts about breaking his New Year’s resolution.

This year it will be easier to follow through with his resolution, which in 2013, comes in two parts: “Whenever I meet someone new, I ask them five question about themselves before I start talking about me.” He’s also going to stop lying to his dentist about flossing.

For John, it’s about freshening things up, “except for the year I went without underwear.”