Why I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions
As I shared with my Newsletter readers this month, I don’t really make New Year’s resolutions because I am (in my opinion) too goal orientated anyway. I’m always setting goals, devising strategies and generally plotting and planning for the future. In fact the only resolution I made last year was to resolve to be a little less goal orientated, and enjoy the moment more. (Still working on that one, if I’m honest!)
My issue with New Year’s is that it’s an artificial ‘new start’ at a time of year that many of us aren’t necessarily feeling at our most creative and innovative. There’s a certain amount of pressure to resolve to do (or quit) something just for the sake of it. From a practical point of view, mid-winter (for those of us living in the Northern hemisphere) is a time when we need our bad habits comforts more than ever. And it’s not a time of year that many of us are awash with new ideas and boundless motivation.
I guess what I’m saying is that if you don’t make (or don’t keep) those New Year’s resolutions, don’t feel guilty. You can choose to kick your own butt into gear any day of the year. It doesn’t have to be today because of a date on a calendar. If you do feel like making positive change right now, good for you. Go for it. Good luck. If you don’t, stop beating yourself up about it.
Personally I find spring a better time of year to re-assess things and get back on track, and for some reason September too - something to do with the new school year that has always seemed to affect me, even after I’d left school and before I had kids who’d started. Any random day will work if you’re in the mood to make a positive change. As the cute ‘n’ cheesey kitten poster has always proclaimed, each day is, by definition, the first day of the rest of your life. Try resolving to do something when you really feel like doing it, rather than when you feel you should. Unsurprisingly, it’s a lot more likely to work.
Another way to mark the New Year might be with a look back on the old one. I might not make resolutions but I take time to congratulate myself on everything I achieved over the last 12 months. It’s a little ritual that leaves me feeling a lot more positive than all those people who are focussing on what they need to change or quit. Feel free to try it out.
