How cliche is the term, “new year, new you?” We have all heard it a million times. It is the catchy slogan that’s been inserted into every ad trying to sell you some life changing product, service or membership. It can be annoying to hear, but is there some truth and motivation behind it?
A friend of mine said she doesn’t make new years resolutions because she always fails to keep them and ends up feeling worse. Another friend of mine said he can never come up with resolutions. Pssshhhhh. If only that were the case for me! It must be nice to be gallivanting in the land of perfection!
The truth is, we can always strive to be better. It is not about reaching the societal view of the perfect body (ie. I am going to lose 25 lbs so I can look like the girl on the cover of that magazine). It is about feeling good about yourself and growing as a person. It is about making achievable goals and striving for something. It is okay to mess up! In fact, that is even better!
I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re doing something. – Neil Gaiman
A resolution doesn’t have to be a chore, it should just be a goal. When you decide not to make resolutions, you decide to give up on yourself. Wouldn’t it be great to wake up feeling motivated to do something everyday! You have to pick things that you want for yourself, not what society thinks will better your life. No one knows you like YOU! Set a goal to try a new restaurant every other week or make yourself order something exciting off of the menu instead of sticking with the same old go-to. Set a goal to write one Yelp review per month. More of a reader? Be realistic and read more than you did the year prior, even if that is 10 pages a month! Bottom line: try new things, educate yourself, and have fun!
You may be aiming too high. No one expects you to spend 25 hours a month volunteering at a homeless shelter. Look at your schedule, plot out your valuable time. Instead of going to happy hour on Thursdays, donate your efforts to tutor a child who needs help with his math homework. If you suck at math, or don’t have the time, make a second lunch once a week and give one to someone in need on your way to work.
For those fantasizing about being fit, make a commitment to get to the gym once a week, then work your way up to twice maybe three times a week. Don’t go blowing your money on an unlimited membership and promise that even though you haven’t been in months, you will start going everyday. It’s a process, people! Work your way up. If you hate going to the gym, commit to going on a hike once a week. Take yourself to the mall for some window shopping and agree to walking at least 3 laps around.
Don’t jump all in and get discourage when your life didn’t just suddenly change. Take it one day at a time, commit to doing something good for yourself or others! It’s the little things that will add up to big changes. If you just want to be healthier, start by drinking more water, park further away, take the stairs. If you want to be happier, promise yourself you will smile more, watch a comedian a day, or hang out with friends at least once a week. My blog partner, Jordan, has decided to write down one thing she’s grateful for at the end of each day. Simple, obtainable and good for the soul!
Don’t let keeping a New Year’s resolution be a hassle or something that you dread. Take small steps ensuring an enjoyable life each day. After all, we only get one shot at this.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, goals are not dependent on the yearly calendar so you don’t have to wait until New Year’s Day each year to start a new adventure or make a change in your life. Switch things up all year around and you will be sure to have a spicy, fulfilling life!