Most New Year's resolutions have some impact on others. Even if it's individual self-improvement, they affect families, friends, colleagues and communities. Your decision to be healthy will keep you close longer for your family and friends. Psychologically, the start of a new calendar year creates changes in our way of thinking.
We hear the events of the previous year that have passed and our thoughts drift to what could have been, what we could have done better. A new year marks rebirth and a new beginning. There is something wonderfully revitalizing about making resolutions on the first day of the New Year, something invigorating and stimulating in the clean and immaculate days ahead that promotes a sense of “I can do” optimism. The New Year is a good time to see what changes we would like to make in our lives and how to achieve them.
A resolution is like a promise to us to improve our lives and make the New Year better for us and for others. Wanting to make resolutions is a good thing. The fact that so many people continue to make resolutions year after year, even when they don't, or can't, always indicates that they have hope and a certain level of belief in their ability to facilitate change, becoming more who they really want to be. In general, resolutions are nice things to have in the short term.
Usually, you won't experience immediate consequences for not maintaining them, but in the long run, your life will be better if you quit smoking or reduce expenses. New Year's resolutions are always a good idea. A fresh start and a clean canvas provide an opportunity for change. When you commit to change, whether verbalized or not, you're taking the first step toward whatever you want to achieve.
The change can be a rocky road with a lot of bumps in the road. The key to success is not to give up. Navigating the ups and downs is what leads to change. It's learning to adapt, be flexible and, most importantly, to be kind to yourself.
Don't give up when you slip up, put the pen on the paper and make a new plan. According to the dictionary, the definition of making New Year's resolutions is “setting goals for the New Year. For those who don't follow this tradition, the very act of creating a New Year's resolution may seem illogical. Almost every year of my adult life, I started the New Year with a series of resolutions that I have decided to fulfill.
According to a recent YouGov survey, 35% of people who made resolutions were able to meet all of their goals, and 50% of people managed to keep some of their resolutions. The number one reason people give for not making New Year's resolutions is that they won't keep them. So why do we keep making resolutions year after year even though less than half of us comply with them? For some, it's a matter of tradition. By turning even the best New Year's resolutions into goals, you're operating with a can do mindset rather than bashing yourself for your flaws.
When you change your mindset from making New Year's resolutions to creating lasting change throughout your life, you'll achieve more than you ever thought possible. The best New Year's resolutions are to set goals and draw up a specific plan to achieve them.
