Every year we all make new year’s resolutions. Whether it be going to the gym or eating healthier or taking up a new hobby, every year we say we are going to do all of these great things and then we don’t. There are a select few that make new resolutions every year and are actually able to keep up with them for the long haul. That leaves the question of what are they doing that the rest of us aren’t? As someone who has been able to keep very few resolutions, I think I may know the true key to being successful. To me the key is setting goals that are actually achievable and realistic.
Let’s be honest. If you haven’t been to the gym in five years, what’s the likelihood that all of a sudden, your mind and body are ready to start going every single day? Maybe setting a goal of going to the gym once a week would be more of a success. It’s beyond pointless to make these insane resolutions knowing that they just won’t happen.
The same goes for a resolution like eating healthier or taking up cooking. People go out and buy all these healthy cooking subscriptions, such as Hello Fresh boxes, and all types of things to make them feel like they are following through with something. Really, they are just wasting money so that they feel good in the moment, but the reality is that they don’t have time to cook all these healthy meals and probably don’t really want to. A more realistic goal could be to cook on the weekends where you may have more time in your day to dedicate to learning.
I know that all of these are easier said than done, but I just don’t see why time after time we lie to ourselves for temporary satisfaction and long-term disappointment. New year’s resolutions are supposed to be fun and a way for us to self-improve. My call to action for everyone’s 2022 new year’s resolution is a revision of the resolutions to be more realistic and obtainable.
No positive change in your life is too small. It’s time that we started to move into achievable self-improvement without the pressure of having to make these unrealistic drastic changes when the clock strikes 12 a.m. on Jan. 1 each year.
