New Year’s Resolutions: A Myth?

Are new year’s resolutions a waste of time? Do you think “New Year, New Me” declarations are rubbish? Exercising more, losing weight, saving more money, and getting more organized are the most common new year’s resolutions.  Many people make these resolutions every year, hoping to ignite positive change.  But only a few follow through on their resolve when the mood of the fresh new year wears off.

Personally, I think new year’s resolutions are useful in getting a sense of renewal.  None of us survives 365 days completely free of bad decisions. The new year offers us the chance to make things right, start anew, and reinvent ourselves.  Thus, accepting that offer is no crap at all.

Be honest with yourself

Making new year’s resolutions shows a person’s humility.  When you want to make something right, you are simply aware that you f****d up.  Don’t you feel miserable when you’re broke because of credit card debt?  When you procrastinate on a work or school assignment, don’t you feel guilty eventually?  When you gain weight, don’t you think of those times when you’d squeeze in a snack before bed?  The point is, we set new year’s resolutions because we see the negative results of our bad decisions in the last year.  We vow to make a change.  The challenge is making it happen in the next 365.

Set realistic healthy goals 

Many people have stopped setting new year’s resolutions for the same reason: they keep failing to achieve them.  In 2022, only 23% of participants in a U.S. study planned on making new year’s resolutions.  Some admitted to having unrealistic goals; others failed to keep track of their progress.

Planning for 2023 isn’t pointless if we set goals that are doable.  For example, you want to take up a new hobby in the new year.  Between street photography and horse riding, you are likely to have more time and resources for photography than the latter.  iPhone photography is a thing nowadays that buying a professional camera isn’t even necessary for beginners.

Stay committed

If you kept failing to stick to your new year’s resolutions, maybe you can focus on a specific goal or two.  From your list, pick a few changes that you actually want to make.  Make a plan on how exactly you’ll accomplish them.  There is no other way to achieve a goal but to work on it.  If you work on your goal only during the days when you don’t feel lazy, you will not achieve the results you desire.  Commit yourself to it for the whole year and you’ll be proud at the end.

If we are good at keeping promises to family and friends, why can’t we keep a promise to ourselves?  The new year is always an opportunity to reset our relationships, not only with other people but most especially with ourselves – mind, body, and soul.  There is no bullshit in looking after our mental, physical, and spiritual health.

Working towards something actually makes one feel accomplished. Sometimes it can be difficult, but it’s all worth it in the end.