Well, happy New Year. By the time you read this, 2025 will have completely expired. Many of you have already composed your New Year’s resolutions, or at least given serious thought to the matter. Yet even as early as Jan. 2, there’s a chance you’ve already defaulted on several personal promises.

Not me, though. I have a fail-safe, two-phase plan.

Phase 1: Make only resolutions I can guarantee are attainable. For example, this year I’ve resolved not to play a single note on a valve trombone. Since I’m so confident in meeting that goal, I’ve also resolved to decline all invitations to scale Mount Kilimanjaro.

Phase 2: Make resolutions for other people.

I used to follow this opening with a few hundred words of snark, usually aimed at politicians but with the occasional broad aphorism (“People who use social media only to complain about social media should resolve to stop using social media”). That was before I realized snark is modern society’s most abundant resource.

So while telling others what to do remains more satisfying than getting off my duff and making something happen, I’ll err on the side of practicality.

If you’ve got unused prescription drugs, resolve to either dispose of them legally – use the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s site finder at tinyurl.com/DEAfinder – or bring them to a pharmacy participating in the Drug Reuse Opportunity Program, through which safe doses can be repackaged for people who have a hard time affording medication. Learn more at ilrxdrugrepository.org.

Although not everyone is able, I also suggest resolving to regularly donate blood. My next Red Cross appointment is Feb. 9; I’ve also given through Vitalant. Both offer extra donor gifts to boost contributions in a historically slow period. The screening process is useful for tracking personal health, and the snacks at the end are delightful.

Resolve to register to vote (if you’re not already) and then follow through. There’s a U.S. Senate election with no incumbent – the first in Illinois since 2016 – plus 17 U.S. House Seats (five without an incumbent), all statewide offices, every state House district and 39 (and counting) state Senate seats. Learn about the candidates. Even if you don’t want to pull a partisan primary ballot, at least pay attention to public statements this spring.

Beyond that, resolve to write an email to your current representatives in Springfield – on any topic at all – and let me know if you don’t get a response from at least a staff member. Local officials are easily reached as well, all of whom should engage constituents, answer basic questions and address concerns. Resolve to make your voice heard.

Then the perennial three: Walk more, write more and be nice to strangers. Happy New Year.

• Scott T. Holland writes about state government issues for Shaw Local News Network. He can be reached at sholland@shawmedia.com.