
“Vows are but breath,” Shakespeare wrote, “and breath a vapor is.” That’s right: Even old Will had a tough time keeping his promises, centuries before the concept of New Year’s resolutions led to peppy, optimistic Januarys and utterly defeated Februarys for so many of us. If you’ve ever signed up for a gym membership on the first day of the year, or vowed finally to bone up on your French again, only to throw in the towel by Valentine’s Day, this one’s for you. Here are 40 resolutions to inspire you in 2019—from learning wilderness first aid to becoming a smarter shopper to taking a ceramics class. And to help you actually keep them, we’ve gathered some tips and sources that will get you started.