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Believe it or not, it’s 2020.

It’s hard to believe that 2019 has already passed us by and a new year has been ushered in. The time sure flew by. Hopefully, this year will slow down some for my family, and we will have the opportunity and more time to cherish some of life’s most memorable events like someone would a mouth-watering steak.

Anyway, New Year’s resolutions last about as long as a box of coffee does in my house — three days. That is if it hasn’t been a stressful week. So I’m not going to commit myself to any lofty goals, but instead, some that I feel confident I can obtain.

While preparing for 2020 — yes, I said it again — still unbelievable, right, I researched the 10 most commonly broken New Year’s resolutions. Fortunately for me, some of them do not apply, but some I have broken myself.

No. 1 on the list is lose weight and get fit. I’ve broken both of them over the years, but have had some success.

Personally, I’ve had this goal for the last 12-15 years and only committed myself twice. In 2008, after looking carefully in the mirror following the Christmas holiday, I realized that I was rather plump — 239 pounds to be exact. So with every fiber in my body, I committed to lose weight and in six months after watching and measuring everything I ate and taking numerous 3-to-4-mile walks several times a week, I shed 52 pounds, weighing in at 187 just before high school football season kicked off.

The following New Year’s, I devoted myself to keeping the weight off, which I once again succeeded at. Unfortunately, more than a decade later, I have gained 40 of those unwanted pounds back. In 2020, I would like to lose 20-25 pounds. After all, let’s be realistic. In the hectic life of a newspaperman and father of two, it’s tough not to partake in the hospitality room fodder during a basketball tournament or take someone up on a lunch meeting.

Fortunately, 16 years ago this coming June 5, I quit smoking, which comes in at No. 2 on the most commonly broken New Year’s resolutions. It was the day I married my bride, Jennifer, and 2020 marks both our 16-year wedding anniversary and nearly two decades since picking up a cigarette. It was an easy habit to break since I had cut back tremendously after moving away from home in 2005 for my first stint in Greenville as sports editor. Let’s just say it’s expensive living on your own and hard to justify — at the time — a $3.50 pack of smokes.

Obviously, eat healthy and diet, No. 4 on the broken resolution list, applied to me when I lost all the weight 11 years ago. However, if I plan on losing 20-25 pounds this year, hopefully by summer when Jennifer and I celebrate our anniversary, eating healthier foods and watching my portion sizes won’t be as significant of a task.

The additional seven broken resolutions have applied to most of us in years past, so take your pick on what you may want to add to your list in 2020. They include:

• No. 3, Learn Something New — If I had time, I would like to learn to speak Spanish.
• No. 5, Get Out of Debt and Save Money — This surely applies to most everyone.
• No. 6, Spend More Time with Family — This should apply to everyone.
• No. 7, Travel to New Places — It’s time for Jennifer and I to begin planning a trip.
• No. 8, Be Less Stressed — For me, this is going to be virtually impossible with the demands of everyday life.
• No. 9, Volunteer — I take pride in helping organizations and others out when possible. I plan to ramp up my efforts in 2020.
• No. 10, Drink Less — Anyone that drinks should do so responsibly and never let it take over their life or hurt those that they love. Socially, I have nothing against folks who like to enjoy a drink  or two among adults.

So now that you have the rundown on the Top 10 most commonly broken New Year’s resolutions, it’s time to make your list. However, be sure not to shoot for the stars, setting you up for failure come New Year’s Eve as we prepare to welcome 2021 in 368 days.

Here’s to a fun-filled, blessed New Year.