Just about everyone has tried making resolutions for the new year, but not everyone keeps them.

 

Whether it’s eating better, exercising, dieting, quitting smoking or cutting back on drinking, it seems those promises made on Jan. 1 don’t last very long.

A few people in Clearwater spoke about their resolutions, or lack of, a day after the New Year.

 

“I always think about one thing I should try to change each year,” says Kris Crandall. “This year I’m trying not to indulge so much in social media. I want to spend less time on the screen and spend more time with my kids - family time.”

 

It’s not an simple task. Crandall, a Clearwater City Councilman is also a contract network engineer, which means he’s always around computers and electronic technology.

 

“I have six computers to build, so I’ve been on it since this morning. But when I’m done working, I’ll put my phone down, and the only screen I’ll be looking at will be my TV with my kids.”

 

Clearwater Deputy Clerk Deb Petty says she hasn’t set a resolution for 2019.

 

But she says she’s tried to quit smoking before.

 

“I guess I said that’s what my resolution was, but I never really tried too hard,” she says. “I stopped for maybe a day. That’s about it. I’m still smoking.”

 

She really doesn’t believe in New Year’s resolutions and hasn’t made one in years.

 

“I don’t think it should be one day of the year that you should be thinking about doing something different,” she says. “If it’s important, you do it.”

 

That’s what Nick Eldred, a Clearwater Firefighter believes.

 

He hasn’t set a resolution for 2019 yet, but he has done a weight loss challenge before.

 

“That was a late-year resolution. I thought I was putting on some pounds and it was about to be holiday season when I’d eat that much more during the holidays,” he says. “I didn’t drink the entire month of October until Thanksgiving week.”

 

Eldred says he never smoked or used tobacco products, and he says he likes alcohol too much to quit for an entire year.

 

“I could probably give up beer, though,”he says. 

 

He said he heard on the radio about something called the “First 31” where people pledge not to drink the entire month of January - after their New Year’s Eve celebration.

 

But he felt that wouldn’t last long.

 

In the past he’s made resolutions to go on a diet or go to church on a consistent basis.

 

“But I can’t remember the last time I had one that lasted more than two months,” he says.

 

“I think if I do anything, my resolution will be to exercise in the summertime on a daily basis outside with the boys,” he says, “either a walk with the stroller or use the bike I got last year that I’ve never touched.”

 

“I want to be the best person i can possibly be every day and start spreading happiness to other people,” says Cori Overby at Little Duke’s.

 

She thinks people set goals that aren’t achievable, like going cold turkey quitting smoking. Being nice to people is something everyone can do, and she’s out to prove it.

 

“My motto is, it’s way easier to be happy. Why get mad about something? Why get frustrated?” she says. “I see things like that in this business. People get so mad if something doesn’t go their way or something doesn’t go right.”

 

“It’s so much easier being happy.”

 

Happy New Year!