As we begin a new year, millions of Americans will make resolutions they won't keep. We'll vow to lose weight, save money or finally learn new languages. According to research, by February, most of these promises will be forgotten.

What if 2026 could be different? What if we chose a resolution so simple, so achievable and so transformative that it could reshape not just our lives, but also our communities and even our country?

Here's my challenge: Make 2026 the year you step outside for at least 10 to 20 minutes every day.

If you've picked up your phone today ‒ and let's face it, you probably have multiple times ‒ you've participated in the defining challenge of our time. It is reported that Americans now spend approximately seven hours daily looking at screens, with teenagers often exceeding this amount.

Meanwhile, our time outdoors has plummeted.

We've created a society where a notification ping commands more immediate attention than a sunrise, where virtual connections substitute for the irreplaceable experience of walking side by side with friends or neighbors on tree-lined streets.

The consequences ripple through every aspect of American life. Rates of anxiety, depression and loneliness continue to climb, particularly among young people. Social cohesion ‒ those invisible bonds that hold communities together ‒ continues to........

© USA TODAY