New Year’s Eve has always been a time for looking back to the past, and more importantly, looking forward to the coming year. It’s a time to reflect on the changes we want or need to make and resolve to follow through on those changes. The top ten New Year’s Resolutions are the following from around the United States each year:

(1) Spend more time with family and friends. Everyone wants to always do this so why don’t we?

(2) Fit in fitness. Seems simple since exercise keeps you healthy and makes you look and feel better, but most often people jump in and quickly decide this is nuts, and stop the program by February.

(3)Tame the bulge. Weight loss is a maddening process for most folks.

(4) Quit smoking.

(5) Enjoy life more. Get out of the rat race of a stressful lifestyle.

(6) Quit drinking.

(7) Get out of debt. After the Christmas holidays this is always a top resolution.

(8) Learn something new.

(9) Help others.

(10) Get organized. I’m always bugging my staff about this one.

These all seem so simple, but I can attest to most of them, because at some point in my life I have put them at the top of my New Year’s resolutions. The only one I do on a regular basis is exercise, and I do it strictly to keep my sanity.

Instead of trying the same old resolutions over again this year why not do something different this 2013 year. Stop by the recreation department, and volunteer to coach a sport, work with Special Olympics, or help out at our Senior Center.

Helping coach a youth sport is a gift that keeps on giving, and Julie Ivey is always looking for volunteers who want to coach a child, and teach them the joys of playing a sport. Tracey Young, who is in charge of our Special Olympics program, has many beautiful opportunities to help throughout the year. Talk about something that will change your outlook on life, and put everything in perspective for you. That will do it!

If you are a senior then I encourage you to take one of the many cool trips that Danielle Jenkins and Lisa Deming do at our Senior Center throughout the year. If that does not seem like a good option then why not get involved with our Community Chorus, or Carroll County Community Theatre at our Cultural Arts Center. Have you ever thought about taking an art class? Penny Lewis and the Cultural Arts Division have lots of fun opportunities in the arts.

My advice would be to keep it simple this 2013 year, and get involved with your parks and recreation department. It’s fun, it’s inexpensive, and I promise you that it is something that will put a smile on your face this 2013 year.

Maierhofer is director of the Carrollton Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department.