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Southwest Airlines Community

Our Resolve

Brooks
Retired Community Manager
I'm being swallowed by pillows of white, chocolate, and strawberry. So heavy I can't swim, but so tasty I'm swallowing my way to the surface.  I make my way to the top of this endless frost to see a sea of color. This milkshake river is not a detriment; it is a panacea. I am in ice cream paradise. Just as I'm about to dive back in, my alarm goes off. 
 
It's all a dream.
 
At this point, I become concerned.
 
"I just dreamed about swimming in a Neapolitan Shake I've just consumed," I think to myself. This really happened.  Well, not really, but really.
 
There are times in our lives that serve as symbolic, silent motivators that spur pivotal change.  Dreams, or wild ideas, that snap you into fixing something that's broken, if not simply doing things a little differently. I could wax poetic about it, but you might color me crazy if I, under this particular circumstance, lament about how such a dream about swimming in a milkeshake has changed my outlook for 2012. And alas, to declare victory about a resolution that's just past its inception would be hexing, and certainly wouldn't demonstrate my resolve.
 
But here I am.  Here we are: 2012. A brand new start, and another chance to do it right from the beginning (if not only symbolically). My resolution is routine, without the accompanement of this bizarre dream: I'm giving up fast food in 2012.
 
That's it.  Only, that's not just it. Those who know me will point out just how difficult this will be for me. But I'm gonna do it.  So if I plead for an extra pack of peanuts on the plane, please oblige me. It's for the good of all mankind.
 
But enough about me.  Here's a look at some of our Blog Team Members' New Year's Resolutions:
 
Whitney Bartels
I’m usually not very good at keeping (or even making) New Year’s Resolutions. Seems I always overestimate my ability or desire to eat healthier, read more, cut back on spending or whatever it may be. Inevitably, I usually fail in the end, or worse, forget altogether that I’d resolved to live differently. So, this year, I am trying something new (no time like the present, eh?). 

This year, my resolution is to cultivate gratitude. Allow me to explain. This past October, I traveled on a mission trip to the villages of Honduras. It’s not until you spend a week amongst the world’s most impoverished people that you realize how much we have to be grateful for. Not only this, but I was convicted by the lack of time I spent appreciating that which I have to be grateful for- family, friends, employment, a home, to name a few. 
 
Whitney Bartels
 
So this year, gratitude will be my focus. Here’s how I’m starting: I am taking time to thank those in my life who have allowed me to have opportunities such as traveling to Honduras, and those who have provided necessities for me such as education and employment. 

Saying thank you may be a small start, but I’m committed to focusing on being grateful this year, and not forgetting to cultivate this habit year-round. 
 
Krista Crow
My New Year's Resolutions:
1.  Remember to always read things twice - Understand what you are reading before you stick your foot in your mouth and say something stupid.
2.  Be careful to say exactly what you mean - Your children have outsmarted you before. 
3.  Think before you speak in the morning - Just because you had a dream about it doesn't mean your husband really said that to you.
4.  Be careful what you ask for - That's how you got those mixing bowls for your anniversary. 
5.  Above all else, be kind - You may be having a hard day but someone else's may be much, much worse.
 
Annie Hoelzel
My most immediate goal is to recover from my recent nose surgery so I never have to have another one.  

I've decided I need to travel more, so I will try to visit at least three new cities this year and one new country.

My third resolution is to finish the re-write of my novel, The Stowaway.

And my last goal is to finish a half-marathon in under 3 hours and 45 minutes.
 
Brian Lusk
I've never been one for resolutions. The term sounds like a promise that a politician might make, so I don't make something I can't keep. 

However, I do set goals, especially goals for Flashback Fridays. I am on a quest for the following: photos of our first day of operation, photos of the interior of our first gates on the North Concourse, and oh yeah, world peace. Not much I can do about the latter, but hopefully, the former will happen.  
 
Christi McNeill
I saw someone else say this on Pinterest, so I cannot completely claim it as my own, but it’s a great idea and seems pretty easy for gift-giving, home goods, and accessories:
 
Christi's Resolution
 
Happy New Year, everyone! Here's to a great 2012!