We all make the resolution at the beginning of the year to exercise more — don’t we?

I know I do.

And rarely does it make any difference in my life.

This past year was a little different, though. And I hope to keep it up in the 2012.

Anyone who knows me knows I’m pretty much the last person to give advice about exercise. But for some reason this past year I started walking and then, recently, with winter around the corner, I joined a gym.

What was key to my success (so far! this could change at any time!) was to have pretty low and flexible expectations for myself. Instead of resolving to exercise six times a week for an hour each time, I just tried to get out and walk as fast as I could for as long as I wanted. Usually it wasn’t even that much!

The effect has been great for me. I feel much more energetic and happier as a result. (And I’m told I look better, so maybe that’s true, too.)

So I guess the lesson is to start small and be reasonable about what you can accomplish. Those of us with work and family commitments need to try to squeeze in what we can, when we can — and then congratulate ourselves making such efforts to be kind to our bodies.

That in a nutshell is my exercise resolution for 2012.

What’s yours?