Three weeks ago, some of you joined me in 21 Days Of Gratitude. We wanted to test the Harvard research to see if we could form the habit of living gratefully. And if so, were the promises true? Could it significantly change our lives?

Twenty one days later, I’m not positive I’ve formed an actual habit yet. It’s a fragile one at best.  But I do catch myself taking stock more often throughout the day. A kind word or deed means more to me now – and I’m resisting the urge to complain about the hardships in my life. I get the sense I’ve planted some important seeds that will bear fruit in time. But if all I gain out of this self-experiment is what I can currently see, it’s reason enough to have done it.

One lesson I learned was quite unexpected. I think it’s the main thing I’ll carry away with me, even though the way it came to me is a little embarrassing. Around Day 10 or 11, I found myself wanting to quit. The new had worn off. I got bored. I felt like I’d done the exercise enough to know what was ahead of me and what I’d gain from it. There were other important things to do. Time to move on.

What in the world? We’re not talking about training for the Olympics here. Naming three things a day required zero exertion and just a couple minutes of my day. And for this small investment, it promised to pay dividends for the rest of my life. Why in the world would I want to quit something that could be so good for me and was so easy to do?

Coincidentally – or maybe not – on Day 14, I ran across my list of resolutions for 2012, and it became glaringly clear to me:

What’s easy to do is also easy not to do.

Truth be told, I don’t think I’d looked at my resolutions even once since January. I couldn’t believe a year had passed since I’d stilled myself to create it. I was encouraged to see I’d accomplished most of the goals I’d set for myself – even many that had seemed too big for me to dream or hope at the time. But as I looked through that list, it was the little, easy things that stared back at me, forgotten and neglected.

Eat an apple a day. (I’d just read a little study confirming that it does, in fact, keep the doctor away.)

Wear sunscreen. (Umm…nope.)

Journal regularly (I bought several journals. They’re all blank.)

Plan date nights. (I did plan one date night… Does that count?)

Fill up gas tank at a quarter tank instead of waiting for empty. (My gas light is on as we speak.)

Life happens. We get busy and distracted. There are reasons all around us to procrastinate. A thousand things clamor for our immediate attention, and the little, easy things get shelved as we put out more urgent fires. What’s easy to do is also easy not to do.  

It would be easy to knock out the small tasks around the house, or to call certain family members. It would be easy to set up a meeting that might lead to new work, to have the dinner party we’ve been meaning to have, to bathe the dog, to wash the car, to plan a little date with my wife or my girls, to have an apple. But do we? Or are you like me? Did you blink and a year has passed?

Some of us make resolutions – others don’t. If you don’t have a list to reference, no problem. Just be still for a moment and ask yourself what you’ve left undone. Big and small, what are the things that have been nagging you – and nag you even still? I promise a list will come to mind. But be prepared it will come with a list of excuses like:

This year is shot. December’s here, Christmas is coming. Work is busy. The kids have me running. There’s no time left. I’ll start it next year.

It’s possible. Next year might be different. But unless we make a choice to do something different, isn’t it more likely 2013 will be a carbon copy of 2012 – at least regarding the little, easy, forgotten, neglected things?

There are 34 days left in 2012.

We’ve got roughly 815 hours.

49,000 minutes.

There’s still time to finish well.  

Maybe you and I won’t be running a 5K this year, but we can find 20 minutes, 3 times a week to take a walk.

Maybe we won’t be maxing out our IRAs, but we can still set aside a part of our incomes to save and to give.

We can still have a date night.

And read more to our kids.

We can still take a step.

There’s still time to finish well.

What is something that’s easy and measurable that you can do to end this year with your head held high? Why wait to turn a calendar page? Start it now. I bought myself some apples. I’d ask you to wish me luck eating them all, but I’m sure I won’t need it. After all, it’ll be easy. Right?