By Wendy Nilsen Pollitzer

As we say goodbye to 2014 and hello to a new year, many of us resolve to make our lives better. Whether we choose to be physically healthier, mentally stronger or more spiritually guided, we make promises to ourselves to strengthen our

[caption id="attachment_20509" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Cover-20142015-e1419999479220.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-20509" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Cover-20142015-e1419999479220-300x231.jpg" alt="Photo courtesy of Nate Hildreth" width="300" height="231" /></a> Photo courtesy of Nate Hildreth[/caption]

self-proclaimed weaknesses. January is usually a very positive month for our egos. Then, for various reasons, our well intended resolutions slowly wane, and we become that creature of habit again…that person who was in the mirror in December.

My objective for the cover of this issue was to ask Beaufortonians what their resolutions were for 2015. After inquiring many locals in the area, the overwhelming response was either, “I don’t make New Year’s resolutions anymore,” or “I don’t want to say publicly, because I know I won’t succeed,” or some version of those two answers.

I guess I didn’t want to begin the new year with pessimism. Most of you know I’m an overt and sometimes disillusioned optimist.  So, I thought I’d give you a little humor and tell you my Top 15 resolutions of 2015. You’re about to understand my life’s worth of bad habits. In no particular order, I resolve to:

1.   Stop leaving Sweet’N Low packets on the kitchen counter after I make my morning coffee.
2.   Stop using Sweet’N Low.
3.   Drink no more than 2 cups of coffee per day.
4.   Drink no more than two bottles of wine per day (kidding).
5.   Drink more water…even one glass.
6.   Remember that Monday morning is trash pick up day.
7.   Respond to every email, every call and every text as soon as I get them instead of remembering at 3 a.m. that I forgot to respond.
8.   Spend less time Facebook. I know y’all are getting tired of my optimistic smiling face behind a particular hardback named after a direction.
9.   Spend money on protecting my phones.
10.   Use iCloud and stop apologizing to people that I’ve lost their contacts.
11.   Correct people when they mispronounce St. Helena or Ribaut. (more of a pet peeve, but I get mad at myself for not speaking up).
12.   Actually print my photos like George Eastman intended for me to do.
13.   Go back to cable. Smart TV’s are dumb when the household is lazy.
14.   Make a weekly standing appointment at Custom Clean Car Wash.
15.   Stop overusing the word ‘awesome’ in my daily vocabulary. I’m a writer. I can be a bit more descriptive.

I look forward to being the Editor of The Island News in 2015. Thanks to Sisters Publishing for asking me back. You’ve given me the opportunity to do what I love most…being a cheerleader for Beaufort, Port Royal and the surrounding sea islands. May 2015 bring you peace, love and joy.