How many of us can relate? I know the idea of making New Year's resolutions is often very exciting. The new year always seems like a fresh start and a chance to set new goals. This can be in the form of changing bad habits, or trying something brand new. Some have no interest in making resolutions, but I think many feel it is a way to try and be accountable. If you write it down or say it out loud to someone else, then it seems, at least at first, like there is no way you will give up. We often start the new year extremely motivated to... fill in the blank with your resolution of choice. The big question is how long will that motivation last, and do these resolutions stick. Or instead, do we fall off the wagon before we barely get started and regret ever making the resolution in the first place. Then it just becomes a failure, but we carry on thinking...there's always next year.
Some of the most common resolutions made are those regarding diet and exercise. People often indulge during the holidays and then plan to start the year off on a fitness journey of some type. This is a very admirable plan but so often people are all about it for the first few days or even weeks and then start to stray. I have certainly been guilty of this in the past. I don't have the magic solution, but I can offer this bit of advice (which is not earth shattering) ...seeing results from a change in diet, exercise or both takes time. "Rome was not built in a day." I tend to be the instant gratification type and have failed many times at diets and exercise programs over the years. Three years ago I finally committed to a program that really worked for me, but I also forced myself to be patient. I had let 20 extra pounds creep on during the two years prior, and I was tired of trying to camouflage it. I finally decided to get the body back I had 20 pounds ago. I found the motivation to stick with it so I could get back into all the clothes that had become too tight and feel like myself again. This revelation did not coordinate with the start of a new year, but I made a resolution of sorts in November of 2017 and after about 5 months I lost the weight, and I have maintained it ever since. It is not always easy to stay motivated, and it is certainly understandable to have cheat days, but this is one type of journey where a little progress each day or better still each week can add up to big results. I think this same mentality can translate into almost anything you want to achieve.
Another type of resolution people make is often related to work and/or finances. People want to make a change or advance in their career, or maybe go back to school. A resolution might be to cut back on frivolous spending and save more, or it might be to start college funds for the kids. The new year might be a time to start that business you always dreamed of, or take your current endeavor to the next level. This is another situation where seeing the results of making a change will take time. I think that is the underlying theme we will keep coming back to. For many, including myself, it can be tough to wait for things. You have an idea or set a goal and want it to happen tomorrow...better still...yesterday. I think that is often why people give up on New Year's resolutions or perceive them as failures if whatever it was didn't happen right away. Instead we need to think of it as a starting point, and not give up. If you do not see it as a goal, which 99 times out of a 100 will take time, then all you will be left with is regret.
I think the last major category is that of self improvement...the "I want to be a better person" resolution. That may come in many different varieties depending on how people feel they need to change. A working mom may say that she needs to be a better mom and spend more time with her kids. Spending more time with her kids may or may not make her a better mom, but I'm sure it's a common resolution. I think most would feel this type of resolution is the easiest. If you make the plan to be nicer, more forgiving, a better listener, etc...you would have to believe you could change this overnight, I think you can try, but this will also take longer. I think we can change some of our traits and behaviors, but it is a process. Trying to better ourselves is a wonderful plan as a new year starts, but perhaps this should be an evolution which doesn't have to stop and start again with a new year.
Ultimately making resolutions is a way for us to reflect on our lives, and the beginning of a new year seems like a great time to do this. We measure a lot by the passage of time, especially years. We see milestones come and go with our kids and in our own lives. We look back on the prior year and decide what we want or need to do moving forward to try make things better and live our best life. Clearly after this past year, we are all looking to 2021 to bring change and the return of normalcy. We all had varying degrees of loss and disappointment due to the pandemic, but I think many also found some bright spots with the forced "down time" allowing for quality family time and a bit of rest from the fast paced lives many of us lead. As a big fan of the fast paced life, I am anxious to get back to all the things that have been restricted for almost a year now. So did I make any resolutions?? Actually I did not, but I have many goals in my life which I am already working toward. I am hopeful, as we all are, that 2021 is a better year for the world. I applaud all who made resolutions, and I encourage you to stick with whatever they might be. "You are what you do, not what you say you'll do." Happy 2021!🎊