What's Your Resolution?

On the stroke of midnight this Friday, the ball will drop in Times Square and the world will celebrate the arrival of another new year. For tradition’s sake, people will reflect on the events, incidents and accomplishments that have shaped their lives this year as 2010 draws to a close. Resolutions will be planned by many in attempt to break old habits and aim for self-improvement.



Yet, there are some things in life we feel are better off untouched by change. Gathering around the TV to watch the annual event’s live broadcast without Dick Clark hosting is like giving a last-minute toast without the champagne; you can’t have one without the other. It’s kind of a metaphor to the certain way of thinking that’s been shared with the majority of us. The current situation we live in has been rough and unpredictable, to say the least, and most people have developed a negative outlook on life. Millions have been laid off from their jobs and too many businesses, big and small, have filed bankruptcy as our economy, though slowly getting back on its feet, endures the ongoing recession. Some can’t even afford to put food on the table for their families and resort to welfare at the taxpayer’s expense. Many of us wish we could go back to a more secure, safer and simpler time; to reflect on the "good old days" and to contemplate how and why life has become what it is today.



Anyone planning a resolution for this New Year’s needs to understand that although we can’t revisit the past or predict the future, we can change what’s happening in our lives at this very moment. My Dad likes to use a personal quote and recites it daily upon waking up to greet the morning. It’s become something of a traditional motto in our family. He asks himself, "Do you know what today can be? This could be the best day of my life." This self-assuring statement symbolizes the positive attitude that helped him establish a successful career and raise a happy family. I couldn’t have been treated nor have recovered from autism if my parents were not driven by this strong brand of optimism. Despite the hard "facts" professionals told my family about my condition, they had the faith, courage and determination to prove them wrong; searching restlessly for the best form of treatment the world had to offer at the time. At my job, I’ve been honored to meet parents of children with ASD that share the same spirit and enthusiasm that my parents had. They have every reason to feel blessed. Several health facilities in the U.S. have adopted effective autism treatment programs. The resources have never been as accessible for families as they are now. They were a fine rarity when I was diagnosed and sometimes pure unwavering faith for my recovery was the only thing my parents could rely on.



Times may be tough and the fate of the world may appear uncertain, but we can’t expect to change the outcome for the better we don’t first change our attitude. Problems have never been resolved by worrying about them, whether on a personal or global level. Families affected by ASD, including mine, can share this bit of advice from personal experience, as one could only imagine the hopelessness they felt when they first encountered it. Instead of allowing fear to take over, these families had the positive energy and focus to work for the best case scenario for their children; several of them have recovered or improved throughout the last thirty years as a result. Try experimenting with this state of mind if planning to follow a resolution after the ball drops. Simply feeling good about oneself is an excellent start, and so is this question: "Do you know what 2011 could be? This could be the best year of my life."