With the dawn of a New Year upon us,
those of us committed to self improvement will no doubt be composing
our lists of resolutions for 2013. Often, the things we want to
change about ourselves are very apparent...yet other times still,
while we know we want a change, we're unsure of where to effect one.
If you find yourself “shopping” for resolutions for 2013,
consider our suggestion: commit to a safer 2013. Here are our five
suggestions for doing so.
Give up road rage –
Challenge yourself to adopt a new outlook when it comes to bad
drivers that you have to contend with on the road. For example, if an
aggressive driver pushes their way in front of you, rather than
feeling like you've been cheated, let them have their way. While
standing your ground is important in other areas of life, it simply
isn't worth the risk on the road. You'll have an easier time managing
this one if you ensure you have given yourself plenty of time to
drive where you need to: you are less likely to be excited to
frustration when you are relaxed and unhurried.
Go for your annual checkups
– We usually think of safety as protecting ourselves from external
sources of danger, but it's important for us to regulate internal
sources of harm as well: namely, sickness. Be sure to go for a
physical once a year, and see your dentist twice yearly. If there are
additional visits that someone of your demographic should be
observing, be sure that you are on top of those as well.
Be emergency ready – If
you haven't already done so, put together some resources for your
family for emergency situations. There may be emergency situations
that draw you out of your home, in which case you want to make things
easy for a friend or family member who comes to look after your house
in your absence. A binder with your household procedures, frequent
contacts, and information about the whereabouts of key items is a
good way to start. Having some ready to go meals in the freezer can
be useful as well. Conversely, some emergencies may bind you to your
home. In this case, you want to ensure that you have your emergency
kits well stocked. Be sure to have adequate drinking water, food, and
personal/medical items on hand for several days.
Be neighbourly – If
there are people in your neighbourhood that you have yet to meet,
make it a point to get to know them this year. Having a strong sense
of community fosters safety, as the individual members of the
community ensure that they are looking out for one another's well
being.
How else might you commit to safer
year? We'd love to hear from you!