Are you going to eat better and join a gym? Maybe, but you’re looking at about two weeks of it before it tapers off and you’re just you again.

The good part about skiing, is that your resolutions go into action right away, because the new year kicks off the heart of ski season.

Midwest Ski Journal has three New Year’s resolutions of our own that we think can be applied to all snow lovers in 2019.

Resolution 1: Enjoy the rides

We ski and ride for the gravity part, but it takes a lot of work to get there.

So this year, MSJ resolves to enjoy the car and chairlift rides that surround the fun part.

Especially in the Midwest, the drives can be long, flat and straight and with small hills, we spend a large portion of our ski day riding the lifts.

First, enjoy the drives. Take the time to enjoy your music of choice, some conversation or a podcast (I recommend The Powell Movement or the Low Pressure Podcast if you want a skiing-centric conversation).

Second, enjoy the lift rides. I find that lift rides are some of the only silent moments I have left in this busy world. Soak those moments in or have a chat with a friend or stranger. Ski with headphones if you must, but I always recommend taking in the quiet, the sounds of the creaking lift and the whoops from the skiers below.

Once the rides become fun, then it’s all good, right?

Resolution 2: Get unspoiled about snow

When you’re in the Midwest, you aren’t going to ski powder very often unless you chase it elsewhere. That’s the reality. So, this year we resolve to relax our expectations and enjoy the hard pack a little more.

Skiing icy, low light or hard pack conditions is still a day skiing.

Plus, it’s those days that give you the perspective to really enjoy the epic ones.

Resolution 3: Celebrate all skiers

I’m guilty of the eye-roll. A skier who is trying it out is holding up a line or cuts in front of you on your run.

This year, we resolve to appreciate that those people are skiing at all.

In December’s issue of Powder Magazine, a story called “Trust Fall” about ski instructors reveals that skier visits in the U.S. were down 1.5 million last year. For the future of our sport, it’s important to give those beginners a good experience.

When people get frustrated with beginners, it hinders their experience. For many people and families, one bad experience on a hill could turn them off skiing forever. It’s expensive, there’s a lot of moving parts and it’s difficult. We don’t need people feeling bad about themselves on the hill to compound things.

Replace that eye roll with a smile, offer a helping hand and give them their space. Let’s get more people on the hill having the best time they can.

Here’s to 2019.