Most New Year’s Resolutions are ambitious and require a monumental amount of daily perseverance and determination. Lose weight, eat better, learn a new language, quit a bad habit, etc, - - you get the drift.

Indeed, the New Year can jump-start a new routine of Herculean self-betterment, but here at ASP, we are forgetting about the exhausting resolutions that only seem to hang over us all year long.  Our team is going to focus on goals that won’t be so easily seen, but they will be felt.

Setting a goal doesn’t have to be a large commitment, it can be something small.  Here are a few examples of some of our smaller goals if you want to join us on the crusade to make the world a friendlier, more considerate place

1. Smile. Flashing a smile can go a long way towards making someone else’s day brighter. Keep a mental reserve of your happiest, funniest moments that you can recall to put a smile on your face.
2. Leave a place in better condition than you found it.  Challenge yourself to improve a public space. If you spot a piece of trash on the ground, be the person who takes the time to pick it up and throw it away. It’s an admirable thing to see someone inconvenience themselves in this way for the betterment of the entire community.
3. Arrive on time.  If punctuality doesn’t come naturally, give yourself an additional 10-minute “emergency gap” to allow for last-minute activities. Create a playlist for your morning routine that is exactly as long as you have to get ready – it’s a fun way to keep yourself on track. But if you know you’re going to be late ahead of time, communicate this to your friends, coworkers, or host through a quick, apologetic call.
4. Make your commute a pleasant time. In Atlanta, we are all too familiar with traffic. It can be uninteresting as a routine part of your day, and downright enraging when unexpected traffic makes you late. This year, the traffic won’t change, but you can. Make the time a positive one for yourself. Find a podcast to listen to during the ride about a subject that interests you. Sing along with the radio and relieve your stress. Don’t forget to make the monotonous crawl a little bit better for others – let someone into your lane during your commute, give someone a wave or a smile, and be patient with slower drivers. Remember the old adage: You are not stuck in traffic. You are traffic!
5. Express your compliments.  If your waitress has a great hairstyle, make sure to tell her. If a man standing in line in front of you at the grocery store looks great in that shade of blue let him know. We all have these thoughts, but many of us neglect to share them. An impromptu compliment from a stranger is really memorable.
6. Improve your communicative style. Listen to others, and pay attention to your communication habits. If you tend to dominate the conversation, strive to ask your partner questions about themselves. If you find making small talk difficult, challenge yourself to hold quick chats with strangers during your day-to-day life.

At the end of the year, many of us want to be able to look back and see tangible improvements in ourselves, but often our outrageous goals leave us feeling less than.

By creating more realistic and obtainable goals, we are likely to see results. If we could all make a small daily goal that benefits those around us and work on it all year long, the results would be astonishing.

As we begin the transition into fall, the inviting weather draws everyone outside. With the large amount of people on trails, hiking, and enjoying the outdoors, it’s important to respect others around you while working out. Here are a few reminders on how to maintain courtesy to others when hitting the trail.

Greeting Others- It is inevitable that you will pass people on trails and while exercising. When seeing others, it is polite to extend a brief “hello” and send a smile. This shows that you acknowledged their passing and serves as a friendly gesture. Mot people working out are strictly there for the purpose of exercising and not to make long conversation.

Make Others Aware- If you are biking or running always make sure you announce yourself to the people in front of you to ensure that they move aside and avoid running into you.

Do Your “Doo-ty”- There’s nothing more enjoyable than bringing man’s best friend along for a walk, however a walk can quickly be ruined by an unsettling smell from our furry friends. Make sure you always bring little baggies with you and pick up after your pet.

The “Right” Rule - The same rule of driving on the right side of the road applies when you are walking or running on trails. If you are walking in a largely populated area always make sure to stay towards the right to allow runners or bikers to pass you more easily.

Yielding- If you are going to take a long pause on a walking path, make sure to move yourself to the side to yield for others. We all know how annoying and unbecoming it is to have to dodge people talking in the middle of a walkway.

Avoid Littering- Trashcans can be few and far between however it is important to always throw away your trash. Even if you see others trash on the ground be a team player for the environment and your community and pick it up and throw it away.

Group Walking- Walking in a group tends to take up more space on a path. If you are a member of a group and you see people approaching to pass you, walk single file or double up depending on the size of the path. Always share the walkway to allow people to move by with ease.

Prepare for Dusk/ Dawn- Sometimes taking a run in the early morning or late at night is more convenient for a person. If you are going to work out at dusk or dawn always wear reflective clothing or reflectors.  Not only does this keep you safe it also keeps other people safe. Drivers depend on reflective gear to be aware of pedestrians, always make sure you are prepared to ensure safety for everyone.

We all want people to be encouraged to maintain a healthy lifestyle and enjoy working out. Keep these tips in mind next time you are exercising outdoors to ensure that everyone has a pleasant experience.