It's that famous time of the year when everyone realises they've spent the last year all up and still haven't achieved what they had hoped to. So what's our solution? Make a list of resolutions, of course! The only problem with New Year's resolutions is that they're made under the same pretexts as the previous year. What do I mean? I mean we do the same thing every year and wonder why the mojo flame burns dry by February. It's like those people who use new relationships to try to cover the mistakes of the old one. They think it's the answer to their prayers, but the previous issues get carried into every new relationship until they deal with them. A new partner doesn't mean a new start unless you're learning from the mistakes of the last relationship.
It's the same with resolutions. Think of the 'partner' in this scenario as the New Year. You've just exited one year, and entered into another. Nothing's really changed except the calendar. You're still the same person with the same flaws, dreams and habits. You can't just turn a tap off all your bad habits, and flip a switch on better habits. You're still human, and you need to allow yourself to grow into habits -- they don't just happen overnight.
I was scrolling through my News Feed, scanning some different peoples' NYR statuses, and realised a common pattern in them all. So I thought it was time to make a point of helping the good people of my social circle to make more realistic, achievable resolutions for the New Year. I wrote up a quick 5-step guide to New Year's resolutions that count. Bottom line is, if we're not getting better at making these things, we're already setting ourselves up for failure. And no one wants to fail before they've even begun. So here's what I came up with.
Guide to achieving New Year's Resolutions:
Step 1: Make your resolutions realistic.
Instead of saying "I will quit video games completely from day one", remember that your addiction goes beyond the fact that you're stepping into a new calendar year. Instead, perhaps you could decide to play just one day per week... Or one day less per week (if it's like that).
Step 2: Make your resolutions achievable.
Instead of saying "I'm going to climb Everest, write a book, create a YouTube mini series, start a corporate business & travel 37 countries," focus on some smaller goals you know you can achieve, but that will still challenge you. For example, you might plan to travel to just five countries, & you now have time to plan out your trips, save money, & organise them properly. This = guaranteed happiness & success.
Step 3: Plan.
You can never do this too much, especially when it comes to NYE resolutions. If you want to eat healthier, for example, perhaps you could write out a weekly schedule, & outline the restrictions for each day. Example, "On Mondays & Tuesdays, I will not eat chocolate, but on Sundays, I can eat whatever I please."
Step 4: Record your progress.
What motivates a lot of people is seeing results. Many of us forget our goals by January's end, because we lose motivation. So if you're working towards a goal like losing weight, weigh yourself weekly & take photos to remind yourself of all the hard work you've put in. This will help you Not set up for immediate failure.
Step 5: Celebrate!
It's almost the end of the year. You stuck to your goal & achieved results. You deserve to be proud of your achievement. Make a point of it, & treat yourself to something nice.
It's always nice to make resolutions -- they give you things to work at, new hope and drive for a better year than the last. But with these resolutions come challenges, and it's important to work around them for the best New Year resolution outcomes.
