Cowboy Kisses

 

New Year’s Resolutions

As for resolutions, I’ve finally learned to make mine attainable. Nothing wild. Nothing impossible. Just the good stuff:
Write more. Move more. Laugh way more.

How about you? I’d love to hear your resolutions for 2026 — big, small, silly, or sweet.

A Fun Look Back at Resolutions

Resolutions aren’t new. People have been promising to do better next year since we figured out how to count years.

Ancient Babylonians: Honoring the gods, paying depts, loyalty to the king, asking for good harvests.

Romans: Made fresh-start promises to Janus, the god with two faces — one for the past, one for the year ahead.

Early Americans: Quiet, faith-based self-checks. No confetti, no champagne, just lots of self-examining.

By the 1900s:  Rise early, work harder, be nicer—at least until February.

1950s–1970s: Family harmony, hard work and prosperity, embracing convenience and progress.

1980s–2000s: Fitness videos, productivity planners, self-help everything.

2010s–Today: Chill out, breathe deep, recycle stuff, and stop being mean to yourself or anyone else.

Through every century, the goal has been the same:
Start fresh. Hope big. Try again.

And with this thought, I wish you only the best for the coming year.

I thought it would be fun to have my characters from Sunrise Ranch Series, because even fictional people try and fail to stick to a promise.

Luke Wolfe

Kiss Goldi everywhere. Every day. Also, stop pretending I’m annoyed when she steals my flannels. The truth? I just enjoy the view of her in my shirt.

Goldi Summers

Bake Luke’s favorites. And maybe resist reorganizing the pantry every time he blinks. He claims the oats don’t need to be color-coded. He is, of course, wrong.

Pete Wolfe

Call a truce with Auburn for at least… an hour. Maybe two. Realistically? Five minutes.

Chase Wolfe

Quit wishing I’d finished that graduate college degree and be grateful I get to rehab horses.

Charlie the Dog

Beg for more belly rubs. Master the art of getting extra table scraps without Luke noticing.

Auburn Hood

Stop one-upping Pete Wolfe every time he opens his mouth. Except when he truly deserves it which is often.

I hope you enjoyed my character’s resolutions.

Here’s to a year of joy, romance, cowboy chaos, and little moments worth savoring.

Cheers to 2026!

Niki Mitchell