When I first sat down to write this article, I was thinking that it would come out as a list of different resolutions and why all of them are terrible. Today, I’m not going to write a list, but simply tell you why making New Year’s resolutions should become a thing of the past.
Why did this trend start? Why do we feel obligated to change something about ourselves just because the year on the calendar is changing? It’s just like those people who decide that they are going on diets -- I’ll start Monday. I’ll start at the beginning of the month.
There is always something that people are waiting for. To me, just because the New Year is coming doesn’t mean we should have to set some ridiculous goal. If there is something that you want to do, go out and do it at any time of the year! Start that new diet today instead of waiting! What are you actually waiting for?
Life is too short to be unhappy. As lame as it might sound, you only get to live once, so you might as well live life to the fullest. If at the end of the year you find yourself wishing you had done more in the past and you feel like time is slipping away, make a change. Don’t feel like you have to put pressure on yourself by declaring it as a resolution, however. The most common resolutions I hear are about working out, dieting, traveling more, or buying more things. Let’s face it, the gym is always super crowded around New Years because of people who claim that this year is going to be the year they get in shape and by March or so, they are nowhere to be seen. Why start your new fitness routine when everyone else does? Or if you want to get in shape, start now! If you want to travel, start a savings account now and start planning where you want to go. Things are temporary but experiences are what can lead to true happiness.
If you insist on making a New Year’s resolution, anyways, promise me this: add an extra resolution to let the people who are closest to you know how much you love them. The holidays can be sentimental, especially for those who may have lost loved ones this year and have to get used to being without them. Reach out to the people you care about and tell them that you’re thinking about them. Losing weight and traveling and playing with your new gadgets that you just got for Christmas is all good and dandy, but what is the use if you don’t have your loved ones by your side?
I don’t need New Year’s to be who I want to be. At any time of the year we can choose to be the best versions of ourselves and make a change for the better. Putting pressure on ourselves to make a resolution at the end of the year is just silly and in the long run, it won’t matter as long as you ring in the New Year with the people you love.
