Did you set New Year’s Resolutions for 2012?

Now that we’re a few weeks into the year, how is it going? Are you seeing some success? Or have you already tossed 2012′s resolutions on the big pile of broken ones from years past?

I took the underachiever’s route this year: I simply didn’t set any New Year’s resolutions.

After resolving to several very specific things for 2011 and coming up short across the board, I decided this year I’d just commit to one thing. I told myself I’d write more this year than I did last year.

Lucky you.

In that one dimension – writing – I believe I can put in the effort and measure the outcome of my effort so that I’ll know if I’ve had a better year than 2011.

If New Year’s Resolutions aren’t your thing, or if you’ve already broken your but you still want to make 2012 a great year, here are five things you might try in 2012:

Quit something. Most of us, in hopes of packing as much into life as possible, have massively overcommitted ourselves. Trust me when I tell you that the PTA, the church board, the United Way, the you name it, can function with out you. See what happens in other areas of your life when you take some of the pressure off of your schedule.

Be a better friend. As kids, our friends and our parents are our entire lives. Somewhere along the way, friendships get pushed down the list of priorities. If we’re not very intentional about friendships as adults, they can dry out over time. Expect better friendships in 2012, but expect better friendships by being a better friend. Make more calls, send more emails, extend more invitations. Ask your spouse for some backup to help you in your cause to enrich a few relationships. A year in which you feel more connected to the people you like the most is bound to be a great year.

Read more. What kind of stuff do you like to read? I like to read non-fiction, business-y books. I can’t remember finishing a single book this year that didn’t have highlights I wanted to apply at work or share with a friend. Mary Craig likes to read fiction. She’s always in a novel and is a great person to ask for a book recommendation. Nothing stimulates the brain like reading, and books connect you to people. One way to have a great year is by dialing up your reading.

Get a notebook. I can still remember the day I bought my first nice notebook. I got it in a bookstore on my lunch break. I’ve used it during my quiet time to make notes on what I’m reading in the Bible. I have another notebook like it to jot down ideas for this blog for 2012. I keep notebooks for two reasons. First, it’s a gift to Future Leighton. I look forward to opening these notebooks at some point in years from now and reflecting on this point in my life. Second, writing reflectively in a journal makes magic happen between the brain and the hand. No lie. Words will show up on the page that I can’t mentally account for – deep, thoughtful words. Capture what’s going on and learn about yourself by getting a good notebook and writing in it.

Give yourself away. Here’s something I know about you: you’ve got something amazing. You’re an amazing piano player, or baker, or surgeon, or accountant, or realtor. You have an amazing China collection, an insane home theater system, an unbelievable front porch swing. You’re amazingly helpful or analytical or funny or compassionate. Maybe you’re just a crusty ol’ jackwagon with a ton of money. Pour it out. Give it away. Show that stuff to the world and let it multiply in other people. Find out what happens in 2012 when you give yourself or your money or your knowledge away.

Do you think incremental improvement is the way to go or do you like traditional New Year’s Resolutions?