New Years eve is tomorrow.  Yeah, I forgot about that until this morning on my Chickfila coffee run.

Everyone is already preparing for their resolutions and most of those have to do with either eating better or losing weight.  Well, I want to encourage you all to do things different this year.  Make some resolutions that will actually matter and make a difference in your life.  Here are a few suggestions or tips.  Do these for at least two weeks straight and they’ll become habit.

1.  GIVE MORE HUGS

People love hugs.  I remember a friend of mine several years ago introducing me and all of his friends to the 2 or 3 minute hug.  It was very very uncomfortable and to this day if anyone tries to give me a hug like that other than my mom or girfriend, they will get punched.  ha.  However, the moral of this story is to hug and show more love.  A hug is powerful.  Much better than a hand shake.  And it will always make someone’s day a little brighter and make a person feel loved.  Do more hugging and spread the love.

2.  TALK LESS, LISTEN MORE

Become a better listener this year.  Apply this to your relationships and you’ll see a big difference in the way you communicate with others, especially your spouse or significant other.  I’m learning to be a better listener and learning that I don’t always have to have the last word.  Sometimes your friends or family just need you to listen and not say anything or offer any advice.  We have all been in a position where all we needed was to be heard.  Become a better listener.  Talk less.  A good listener will understand better and with better understanding comes better relationships.

3.  RIDE YOUR BIKE

There’s something about being on a bicycle and just cruising around the neighborhood or further.  Yes, it’s a form of excercise but don’t do it just for that.  Do it to get out of the house and simply do it for fun.  Kids love their bikes and if you watch kids riding their bikes you’ll see how much fun they’re having.  There’s something very freeing about being behind the power of your bicycle.  Adults, ride your bikes more and allow yourself to be a kid on a regular basis.  Ride with your kids and family but also take some time to get out and ride with just your partner.  Ride to a restaurant or bar for a drink.  Get out.  Have fun.  Live on the edge.  haha.  ok, maybe not on the edge, but you get the picture.

4.  DO SOMETHING YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO

I’m realizing that I do have a bucket list and I’m taking note of it.  One of the things that I’ve been wanting to do for a while is to get involved with theater or community acting.  Since being involved with drama in high school I’ve always had an interest in acting or at least giving my acting chops a try.  And it’s all just for fun, not to pursue a career  or anything.  So this year I will check that off my list as I pursue this and get plugged into a community theater or some type of acting class.  I may do great or I may get kicked out, who knows.  I can still recite Hamlet’s “to be or not to be” soliloquy so that’s a start.

There has to be at least one thing you’ve always wanted to do.  Step out this year and give it a try.  Start a new business.  Build something.  Learn a new trade or skill.  Go somewhere.  Visit that city or country that you’ve always wanted to visit.  Whatever it is, make plans to do it and stick to it.  Don’t let another year go by without doing that one thing or two or three.

5.  GIVE MORE

There’s a blog post somewhere in here that I posted about Christmas and how difficult it is for me to get into the “spirit”.  It has to do with feeling forced to buy gifts for people because a holiday says I should.  I love giving gifts, but I like doing it for no reason and for people that deserve it.  The best gift you could ever receive from anyone is a gift that you don’t deserve or expect.

This year, start giving more and taking less.  Start practicing with putting others first and thinking about yourself less.  A good way to start is to put some money aside every week or month and begin looking for needs to fulfill.  You may here of a family that’s struggling and all they could use help with one week is groceries.  Since you have that cash put aside you put yourself in a position to help immediately.  Your help doesn’t always have to involve money either.  Give your time.  Your love.  Your good looks.

6.  PANDAS

This last one is free.  Simply fall in love with pandas and look at their pictures everyday in a google search.  Will always, always brighten your day and make you feel awesome.

Have a great New Year everyone.  Do great things and live like this could be your last year on earth.  The world needs you.  Find out how and then do life with everything you’ve got. Happy New Year!

- Hector Garcia

Today’s post is probably the most serious post I’ve ever written, so please take your time to read.  It’s about an addiction that I have and I’m not sure what to do about it.  I’m not sure when or how it started but I’m currently looking into counseling for this obsession.  I’m sure many of you will be able to relate, and if so, more power to you.

I’ve always thought that panda bears were cute, but after seeing the commercial below, their cuteness level became coupled with what I can only describe as “awesome”.  In these commercials you have a very innocent looking panda causing hell because no one wants to eat his branded milk product.  “Ok, you’re not going to eat my panda cheese?  Well how about I disconnect your IV?”  Yeah, you don’t want to mess with the panda.  He’ll mess your world up.

The image that we receive from pandas for the most part is one of peace, chillin, eating bamboo all day long and playing on little green kids horses. Every photo or video you see of a panda they’re playing or sliding, or sitting like a drunk human with a stick of bamboo in their hand. They know that eating bamboo from the side of their mouth is more cute than eating it with the front teeth. They’re much cuter rocking on a green horse with ice cream in their hand than any baby could ever be. They don’t appear threatening at all but from what I’ve read, they can be the most aggressive bears out there.

Anyway, if I could go to china and buy one, I would. I would bring him home, have lots of toys for him to play with in the back yard, build him a huge swing set, and teach him how to cut my grass and make breakfast tacos. This is my confession and I’m not ashamed.  So if you want to get me anything for Christmas, make it visa gift cards, which I will use to go to China this coming year and pick up a panda.  Only costs about $2 million a year to rent one.  Power to your people . . . I mean, the panda!

- Hector Garcia