WETHERSFIELD - Well the conclusion of 2012 did not bring about the much-anticipated end of the world the Mayan’s predicted, so the New Year, for many, marks a time of new beginnings, much like it always has.

       For those who live and/or work in towns like Wethersfield and Rocky Hill, that means New Year’s resolutions--the traditional promise of self-improvement or accomplishment one makes to his or herself to start a new chapter off right.

       â€�"I’d keep it simple,” said Wethersfield resident John Miller. â€�"Just a healthy and prosperous new year.”

       Common resolutions include healthy dieting, and quitting smoking, but Wethersfield resident Sharon Sperling is attacking a different habit--one that has more to do with attitude.

       â€�"I think it’s to speak up more, especially when I feel I’m being taken for granted,” Sperling said. â€�"I’m disappointed that people have a tendency not to verbalize their appreciation, and nobody wants to be a doormat. I can’t change other people, but I can change myself.”

       Sperling said that she usually puts weight loss amongst her top priorities, but this year she decided to start inward.

       â€�"I decided not to [focus on weight loss] this year because when I decide to do it, it burdens me,” she said. â€�"I feel like that’s everyone’s number one resolution, but when you change your attitude, it helps everything else.”

       Attitude seemed to be the prevailing theme amongst Wethersfield and Newington residents. That and productivity, which, if you think about it, really has its roots in the former.

       Elaine Speranza, the mind behind the famous local scarecrow, MiscElaineous, is used to being productive. She gives tours at the Capitol and is working on several historical restoration projects. Her attitude adjustment has to do with focus.

       â€�"My resolution is to get myself organized, because I have been going in too many different directions and I need to pull everything together and figure out where I stand,” she said.

       The roblem with making a New Year’s commitment is, it’s too easy to back out after the first couple of months of renewed resolve and optimism have passed. That’s why Dr. Abbas Mohammadi, a dentist who works in Rocky Hill, plays it safe--he sees every day as a chance to live by his lifelong resolutions.

       â€�"I would say I want to be more productive and I would say I want to be more successful,” Mohammadi said. â€�"I have that resolution every year. I have that resolution every day. We can symbolically use the New Year to go forward with what we want, [but] I think every day should be a new year.”

       Productivity sounds like a general objective, and that is because it is, he said. He strives to apply this principal to every aspect of his life.

       â€�"How you can be productive every day varies,” Mohammadi said. â€�"The circumstances change, but your goal is the same.”

       It’s all about another one of his goals, which is to achieve balance.

       â€�"To me, life is very complex, so you need to keep the balance,” he said. â€�"To be focused on one thing is a mistake. You have to look at the whole picture.”