BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – As we move through the busy-ness of the holiday season, it’s not easy to see past the candles and candy, the feasts and the gifts. However, the new year is close. And along with Jan. 1 comes the ritual of resolving to improve our habits, our health and our condition.

Statistically, more than 90% of us fail to keep our New Year’s resolutions. There are some common reasons for that, including difficulty translating a new activity into a sustainable habit. According to an academic study, one way to succeed is to break your goal into manageable steps.

How about New Year’s Resolution that’s easy to break into steps and – bonus – could save your life?

Resolve to Prepare in a Year. Performing just one task per month will help set you up to survive on your own in the first critical days following a disaster. And that’s important because in a community-wide crisis such as an earthquake, tsunami, massive flooding or infrastructure failure, it could be days before professional rescue can arrive. 

In an hour a month—something you could put on your calendar as a recurring event at 7pm on the third Thursday of every month, for instance—you can take practical steps to protect your household and build peace of mind.   Here’s a guide:

• January – make a communications plan
• February – create an action plan
• March – store water
• April – building Grab-and-Go kits
• May – secure important documents
• June – become 2 Weeks Ready
• July – learn fire safety
• August – learn utility safety
• September – store under-the-bed supplies
• October – practice Drop, Cover and Hold On
• November – prepare to shelter-in-place
• December – conduct a home hazards hunt

To help you keep this New Year’s Resolution, each month I’ll share some easy tips to tackle the month’s task.

And if you’re not someone who makes annual resolutions? It’s even easier, just three steps: learn your hazards; make a plan; and build “2 Week Ready” kits. Here’s how to get started: https://mil.wa.gov/preparedness#steps.

See you in 2025!