It's finally that time of year again where people make their New Year's resolutions and hope that the next year will be the best year of their lives. There will be status updates claiming "New year, new me" and people will be signing up for gym memberships like the world will end if they don't. But for most people, their resolutions never last and they continue to live like they always have until the next year comes around and they do it all over again. So why waste time creating a goal for the first of the year when there are 364 other days that are just as useful?
Resolutions should be created more often than just the first of the year. Resolutions are goals and plans of whether or not to do something. They are about action and making decisions that are meant to be followed. Of course, having a New Year's resolution that is aimed toward the entire year and not just a few days is great. If you want to begin living a healthy lifestyle and want to wait until the clock ticks midnight on December 31st to do that then you should. But the first of January shouldn't be the only day that someone makes a serious commitment or starts focusing on accomplishing a goal. There are resolutions that can be made at any time of the year and can be completed every single day. They can be big or they can be small. All that matters is that they are resolutions that can be done.
In case you're stuck, here are a few:
Spend less time on the phone and more time with friends and family creating memories that last longer than a simple tweet or Facebook status. Write more letters and actually mail them (quite a few people still enjoy handwritten sentiments). Read the books that have been doing nothing but gathering dust on your bookshelf. Do something out of your comfort zone. Be more outgoing and kind. Learn something new everyday. Start recycling and stop littering. Pick up a new hobby. Be more organized. Eat healthy foods instead of junk and quit the midnight snacking. Listen more and talk less.
All of these are resolutions that can be done either on the first of the year or on any other day. Many of them are simple and easy to do while others can be a bit more challenging. The resolutions you make should cater to you and your needs and the timing that you choose to do them should as well. If you choose to create a resolution on New Years then there's nothing wrong with that, but just remember that it's not the only day of the year that you can. Every day brings a new opportunity for change, not just January 1st.
