Happy New Year! New Year brings with it a sense of hope, joy, freshness, and excitement. Celebrated all over the world, it is a time where people look forward, whilst also reflecting on the past, and through this marking of time, people are united by the future.
However, New Year can also be a time when people make big promises to themselves, and to others. How many people have asked you, “whats your resolution for 2021?”, or have said to themselves, “this is the year I lose weight/go to the gym/drink less/eat more broccoli” (insert new year stereotype here…). Within themselves, New Years resolutions are not a bad thing, they give up an opportunity too reflect on what we want from the future, and what our goals or hopes are. However, what is key to the success of a resolution is that is it realistic. Yes is it a new year, but it is still the same you, and that is ok!
As with all goals it is so important to ensure that they are realistic and achievable. Think of it this way… If you do not like broccoli, don’t promise yourself you are going to eat more of it, as you are instantly setting yourself up to fail. This logic should be followed with all resolutions and goals, for example a great resolution is of course to get healthier, whether that is eating more veg or doing more exercise. But make it applicable to you, rather than to who you think you are or who you want the world to think you are. If you hate the gym, don’t promise you are going to go five days a week, because you just won’t, and that will lead to feelings of failure or guilt. Instead work your way up to a goal in a way that is more suitable to you, such as I will go for a walk with my friends 5 days a week, and ensure you walk over 10,000 steps a day. If you have gone from sitting around all Christmas doing nothing, then this is a more achievable goal to meet, and you can then progress this to maybe making one of those walks a run, or a bike ride, meaning you are meeting your goals but through baby steps.
The key here is to recognise who you are. Everyone is different and it is in those differences we find our sense of self, and that is beautiful. In the words of Dr Seuss, “There is no one youer than you.” So whatever your goals are for this year, or for this week, make sure they are YOUR goals, designed for what YOU what and what YOU can do. And remember, not achieving something today, does not stop you from trying to achieve it tomorrow.
Happy new year to YOU!
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