It’s January first. You log onto Facebook and see all of your Facebook friends posting about how they can’t wait to begin their exciting journey this year through their New Year’s resolutions. Your impressionable cousin hops on the weight loss bandwagon and posts about how she vows to go the gym everyday. Yeah, like that will actually happen. Your spendthrift friend from high school pledges to stick to a strict weekly budget in order to be able to finally move out of her parent’s place. And your 13 year old social-media-obsessed sister claims on Twitter she will “stay off her phone in order to enjoy life better” or something like that.
Let me begin by asking this: why is it that we associate the coming of the new year with change? Is it an excuse to procrastinate bettering ourselves? Or is purely because making “resolutions” at the beginning of the year is social trend? Either way, making new year’s resolutions gets more and more popular every year, but breaking those resolutions is becoming an even more popular norm.
Most people end up breaking their resolutions because the drastic change is “too hard.” But what if there was a New Year’s Resolution that required no diet, budget, or discipline involved at all? Well ladies and gentlemen, there is!
For my New Year's resolution this year, I decided to do something a bit different. Instead of making a pact to lose weight, save money, or spend less time on technology, I have made a vow to myself to just be happy without regrets. While I do agree that staying in shape, saving money, and eliminating the use of technology is important, so is being happy! Resolutions should not be something you dread, rather, something you look forward to doing in order to better yourself.
Beginning around the age of 12, I began to struggle with my weight and low self esteem. I never felt like I was able to live up that expectation of being the girl with the perfect body, pretty face, and superb personality. And while you might have seen one thing when you looked at me, I saw a completely different person in the mirror. Every new year, I promised myself I would be more active, stop snacking, or even skip out on a meal in order to achieve those unrealistic goals I had set for myself at such a young age. Let me tell you, I was very unsuccessful. Sure, maybe I didn't have the discipline at age 12 that I have now, but I have come to the realization that pledging new year’s resolutions that requires me to dissect and nitpick every little flaw of mine is not the way to go.
So if eating that extra chocolate bar or impulse shopping after a long day or checking your twitter feed that “one last time” makes you happy, do it! Being happy is such a crucial part to living a healthy life, and how can you consider yourself healthy if you aren't happy!? I cannot tell you how many times I had to skip eating that slice of cake, stop myself from buying that new makeup palette, or shut off the tv because I felt like I had to. News flash, its 2017, you are free to do as you please (within reason, obviously). Although making yourself happy without regrets can be a challenge in and of itself, it is important to find things to do that can make you happy. Whether it be volunteering, meeting new people, or even going on a hike, start putting yourself first. Spend time around people that contribute to your happiness, learn to find happiness in the little things, and don’t allow things to bring you down as easily.
