The New Year is upon us, and for some of us, that means a reset in some facet of our lives comprised of a New Year’s resolution. About a quarter of Americans make these types of pledges at the beginning of a new year, according to a YouGovAmerica poll.

Not surprisingly, the most popular resolutions are geared toward personal improvement goals. Among those are living healthier, getting happy, losing weight, exercising and reducing alcohol consumption.

Unfortunately, a University of Scranton study says that only about 8 % of people who make New Year’s resolutions will achieve them.

Despite that, experts say making a resolution is important for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is declaring your intention to make a positive change.

That, in and of itself, can have a positive impact on your emotional and mental health. Plus, the mere effort may inspire a positive outcome for others around you.

In fact, even if a New Year’s resolution is simply geared toward self-improvement, it does have some impact family and friends.

Tracy Brower, a sociologist and contributing writer for Forbes magazine, says “New Year’s resolutions are terrific ways to focus on yourself, but also to consider your broader responsibility — and to expand and multiply your positive effects on others.”

So how can we ensure keeping those pledges of self-improvement?

A New York Times article on the subject says you have a shot at your resolution if you keep it “doable” and “meaningful.”

Parade Magazine has some interesting resolution suggestions, including:

– work out to feel better, not necessarily to be thinner

– stop gossiping

– give a compliment a day

And, our personal favorite is “do random acts of kindness.” Among these include: strive to be kind on social media, hold the door open for the person behind you at the grocery store, volunteer for a new organization, or check in on a neighbor or friend who lives alone.

Being kind to one another, especially during the long Upper Peninsula winters, is perhaps the best New Year’s resolution any of us can make. Kindness costs nothing, but can pay back dividends in the long run.

It’s in that spirit that we wish you the happiest and safest of new years.

— The Mining Journal, Marquette