I was going to make typical, annual resolutions regarding 2014, that is until I read the startling data compiled by The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. It was data from 2010 - the most recent data compiled -on the number of deaths per 100,000 population in each state. Holy smoke! My only resolution now as an Alabamian is to just survive 2014!

Alabama was near the top in deaths with 939.7 per 100,000. To give you some perspective, Hawaii was at the other extreme: 589.6 per 100,000. Before you jump to the conclusion that there is something to that island-living-business, note that American Samoa had 932.9 deaths per 100,000, nearly as high as Alabama.

Having read the list of states and their death rates, I’m altering my New Year’s resolutions significantly. See, there are things I could resolve that I definitely wouldn’t follow through on in 2014 (exercise, join a gym, cut down on coffee, eat less fried foods, etc.) to things I could resolve and actually try to do (be more social, look for good in people in spite of the odds against finding it, things like that). Now, however, the death rate data per state is resulting in my single resolution to survive the New Year based on these caveats:

1. I resolve not to travel to the State of Mississippi. Why? How about 962.0 deaths per 100,000! Mississippi has the only state death rate higher than Alabama, according to The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

2. Actually, I resolve not to travel to any state anywhere near Alabama with the exception of Florida (701.1). The others: Kentucky (915.0), Louisiana (903.8), Tennessee (890.8), Arkansas (892.7), Georgia (845.4).

3. I resolve to eat more greens and less beef. As a native Alabamian, I’m completely on board with collards and turnips, and I’m going to do my darnedest from here on to eat more broccoli, Brussel sprouts and those horrible English peas. As for the beef, if Mad Cow Disease ever breaks out over here, my guess is it’ll happen in Mississippi or Alabama, not Connecticut or New Hampshire.

4. I’m going to smile more and frown less. It isn’t as if people in the imaginary condition of happiness are going to live longer but they seem not to know that things like state death rates exist. If I didn’t know it I’d probably just resolve to lose 10 pounds and be done with it, which would fall into the category of something I’d never follow through with in a million years.

That said, and in an attempt to be more social and heartfelt, I hope you and yours have a survivable 2014 and beat our state’s miserable death rate.

Bob Morgan is a retired, award-winning journalist and an author.