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Usually around this time of year, people make resolutions to change something about themselves that they don't like. More often than not, I feel that those resolutions generally involve losing weight or getting in shape. While I have never been one to subscribe to (or stick with) New Years Resolutions, an article in today's New York Times peaked my interest in how important health is to both individuals (and therefore friends and family), but also to this country in these trying economic times.

Peter Orszag is President-elect Obama's choice for the Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. According to the New York Times, "The principal cause of the nation’s long-term budget problems, Mr. Orszag said, is rising health costs. He suggested several steps to increase the efficiency of the health care system: greater use of health information technology and research comparing the effectiveness of different treatments, along with new incentives for disease prevention, "healthy living" and "better care rather than more care."

Clearly, our country is struggling to rebuild our shaky economy, and as Professor Melissa Stone explains in her post "2009: Glass Half-full with Qualifications", nonprofits are especially struggling to stay afloat with drying up funding streams. While I read and take to heart the articles that warn of our economy, I wanted to throw out this article and spin it to be an optimistic mission to what the everyday person can do. At the risk of sounding simplistic and naive: create a resolution to strive for a healthier lifestyle to benefit you, and in so doing, benefit our economy.