We’ve all made New Year’s resolutions. But not many of us have actually managed to keep them. In fact, the habit of breaking a New Year’s resolution is probably the most common trait of resolutions in the history of making resolutions. It seems that despite all of our good intentions, we just can’t get away from slipping back into our practiced patterns of behavior.
However, not all of our practiced patterns of behavior need to be considered bad habits, so it shouldn’t be too big of a deal if we don’t manage to break these habits. In fact, maybe we would all just be a bit more happy – and a whole lot more honest with ourselves and everyone else – if we took our habit -breaking New Year’s resolutions as seriously as this cowboy does in this poem by Steve Lucas.
A text version can be found below.
A Little Habit
I’ve got this little habit. It’s not so bad I’m thinkin.’
It’s not about smokin’, gamblin’, or drinkin.’
It doesn’t involve horses or tradin’ pure bred stock
If anyone knew about it, it really wouldn’t shockThem, or make them think there’s something I should change.
It doesn’t keep me from doin’ my work out on the range.
Nobody knows about it, not my kids or my wife.
It isn’t annoying, and it’s not threatinin’ my life.But someone once told me that habits are good to break,
And at New Year’s there’s always pressure for a cowboy to make
Some kind of declaration, to alter something that does
Not because he wants to, but only just becauseOf the peer pressure, and to have a reply
To questions of what he’ll give up, even if there’s no reason why.
So my answer’s there’s a habit I’m resolving to forgo,
I won’t tell you what it is, cause if I fail, no one will know.– Steve Lucas
If you’ve enjoyed this poem by Steve Lucas feel free to share it with your friends and family. Other great writings and cowboy poetry by Steve can be found here. Here’s to a new year in which we’re all a bit more honest with ourselves and others. A year in which we cultivate productive habits.
