You have either heard it time after time or you think it to yourself every January: "this is my year. I’m going to lose that weight I’ve always wanted to lose, I’m going to get that raise or finally quit my job, I’m going to do things that will make me happy for a change," etc. It’s annoying most of the time because your friends know that you have been working for this change for a long time and it’s very unlikely that you will achieve it now just because of the new year.
“New year, new me” is, however, a very powerful idea and it can lead to amazing changes…or not. You are the only one who can decide that.
It’s a common and cliché joke now that gyms around the country during the first two weeks of January are full because everyone has made new resolutions that they will finally get in shape. The number of people drops steadily over the following weeks until only the same regulars from the previous year are left. People have hopeful yet unrealistic dreams that the new year means they will become more energetic and driven for the entire 12 months.
If they had not felt that way for the previous years of their lives, it's unlikely they will have a sudden desire to start and actually continue a new activity. The trick to keeping your promise to become a better person is to realize that it's going to take hard work to uphold your resolution. You have to want to do it instead of idly thinking that it would be nice to do. Desire and drive are required.
The new year is a time for people to reflect. They look back on the past 12 months with laughter, regret, happiness, sadness, and any other emotions they may feel when they think about the last year of choices they made, and oftentimes they realize that there is something they could have been doing that would solve a recurring problem.
People can use that realization to start a new habit, to become stricter with themselves for their own happiness. Those are the people we should admire. We must recognize the strength required to keep our own promises to ourselves. There are no consequences when you are the only witness of your own mission. You need to be strict with yourself to see any improvement.
The teenage population who thinks “New year, new me” is simply a cute caption for their pictures this time of year is using them incorrectly,because they don't see that those words can actually be very powerful. They mean that someone is using this time of year to recognize there is an activity or habit that could better themselves and their lives.
The only one who can ensure you are improving is yourself, so you have to be the toughest coach you've ever had. If you claim to be using the new year to become a new person, do yourself a favor and actually do it. You will be much happier in the long run, and everyone will be proud and admire the fact that you stuck with it instead of abandoning it as the rest of the resolution makers did.
