2013 is almost over. All of the New Year's resolutions you said you'd get to eventually are now staring at you judgmentally. Maybe this year, right? HA! You know damn well you'll go to the gym until February 1st and then slip back into the comforts of drive-thru breakfast burritos. You’re not alone, it's the same every year. We're all gung-ho to get things accomplished in the new year and as soon as the going gets tough, we get back to our old habits.
But what if we had some backup? Surely we can draw inspiration from the Angels team. More than a few of the boys could do with some resolutionizing themselves. It's all about self improvement. If you're better today then you were yesterday, then you're on the right track. It’s an idea athletes and non-athletes alike can, and should embrace!
Let's say you want to get healthy by working out. Well, you can do that with Albert Pujols. Like Albert, maybe you need some help just staying healthy in your everyday life. Maybe you hit the gym, pick up some dumbbells and build some muscle tone. If, like Albert, you already have a solid base, look into taking yoga classes. It allows for increased flexibility and greater balance, decreasing pressure on joints. The only drawback? Pretty sure Mr. Pujols can't rock a pair of lululemon stretchy pants.
Maybe you want to start managing your finances a little bit better. Look no further than Arte Moreno himself! With a big payday due to Vernon Wells this year, it's no secret the team could use a little bit of financial management. There’s no shame in admitting we could all do with a little bit tighter budget these days. We should let the Angels’ up-and-comers take a look at the books. The salary of a minor league ball player leaves some on a college-student like budget, complete with more instant noodle meals than is healthy. Guys like Kole Calhoun and J.B. Shuck know how to budget what they've got. Give them the financials and watch them pool together all the resources available to pay the bills and have enough left over for a 12-pack of cold ones.
Some of us definitely need to work on being more outgoing. You should take more of an interest in the people around you. Chat up coworkers, call old friends, feel out the social dynamics instead of being a perpetual wallflower. Newcomer third baseman David Freese is going to have to do just that. Too long have we waited for our team to "click" or "hit their stride" or "find a rhythm" or "get momentum going". It's time to hit the ground running. Go out for drinks, take a line dancing class, send each other Candy Crush invites, whatever he has to do in order to bond with his new teammates, do it. Make the effort and your team will "fire on all cylinders" (or whatever other buzzwords you prefer) to greater heights.
Perhaps you've decided to finally feed your wanderlust and start traveling more often. You're ready to take that first step out of your front door and explore new places. You're ready to pe into unfamiliar surroundings and open yourself to different experiences. You're ready to explore such exotic locales as St Louis, and Phoenix. For you, following the exploits of Peter Bourjos and Mark Trumbo will satisfy your desire to branch out as they lead you to the new lands of the National League.
Still, there are those of us that eschew the traditions of New Years resolutions. We think that our lives are pretty good and we're working to improve every day knowing that our rewards will come one way or another. Maybe we get to stick around, maybe we don't. All we know is that one day we'll get our due and live to the peak of our potentials, regardless of some arbitrary January goal.
If you are one of those people, congratulations. You and Mike Trout should hang out some time.
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