I have tried, for years, to get the New Year's resolution plan down. I have scheduled out my months, made a list of things that would be better than others, and even printed out pictures to motivate myself. Yet, just when I thought this would be it, this would finally be my year, the ice cream sundae that is decked out in chocolate and some other sauce that probably is worth a day's calories on the Culver's menu seemed a whole lot more appealing than running three miles.
Sound familiar? The idea of New Year's resolutions that are so much more appealing than when you're actually putting in the work. It should be some syndrome at this point, the "I was motivated because new year-new me" disease. This year, however, I have thought of a few new resolutions that will not just benefit you as a person, but hopefully can benefit the people in your life as well. I think that is often the one thing we forget in creating New Year's resolutions. We forget the change that we could have on others in the process.
First of all, make your first resolution "small acts of kindness." Each and every day, make it a priority to give a small act that genuinely means something to you as the giver. Whether it is as simple as purposefully holding open a door to paying for someone's meal without them asking, make a generous action towards another person, just because you can. Something small can often times go a very long way.
Secondly, smile at strangers. You're close to exiting out of the article at this point because this girl is starting to sound W-E-I-R-D! It's a small lesson I learned while working both of my jobs. Just by simply showing someone a genuine smile can start up a conversation, even a small smile back pleases me now. It is the knowledge that making someone else smile just because you are shows you did something that clearly did something for them too. I have found that in today's world we are so used to focusing on ourselves, or media, or our phones, or anything but each other while in everyday life, that these situations seem almost awkward or uncomfortable. But, I almost promise that just starting the trend at smiling at others will really create an awareness for yourself, and maybe for those people, of other people's emotions.
Thirdly, reflect on your goals. This is obviously a more personal resolution, but for me as a college student, it has been extremely important to my success this year that I etch out my goals. It does not have to be anything fancy, but by taking a few hours to reflect on where you see yourself by the end of the school year, by the end of the literal year, five years from now, maybe even 10, will benefit your success in achieving such things when you have a general idea of where you're going. The nicest thing about this resolution is the fact it can be constantly changing. You do not have to have everything planned out and things will always evolve. The importance of this resolution is that whenever your ideas or dreams do change, you can start over and reflect on where you want to journey once again.
Last, but certainly not least, bring out the best in others. Work on focusing on the good, the positives, and everything that has brought you joy in the last year-and hope that those, and other, things will bring you equal happiness if not more. Focusing on the good will help you see the light that other's bring to your life; and that is the best gift a New Year's resolution could give you.
Happy New Year, lovely people! Let us make this year a great one.
