Here we are, as a bright, shining, new year is on the horizon we have one more shot to make it right (either that or mess it up completely). Either way, we are given a blank canvas, spreadsheet, or book (depends on your major) to finally fulfill (or at least start to fulfill) our hopes, our dreams, and our aspirations.
In order to spearhead these decisions, we often form New Year’s Resolutions. Some people plan on losing weight, some want to quit smoking, and others want to be less selfless. They plan on giving up something in order to gain a greater sense of meaning and self-worth. We may approach it in different ways, but we all want to become better people.
While this may be an awesome idea, how many people actually stick to their goals? Not many.
As Helen Fielding writes in Bridget Jones’s Diary, “I do think New Year’s resolutions can’t technically be expected to begin on New Year’s Day, don’t you? Since, because it’s an extension of New Year’s Eve, smokers are already on a smoking roll and cannot be expected to stop abruptly on the stroke of midnight with so much nicotine in the system. Also dieting on New Year’s Day isn’t a good idea as you can’t eat rationally but really need to be free to consume whatever is necessary, moment by moment, in order to ease your hangover. I think it would be much more sensible if resolutions began generally on January the second.”
Thus begins the downward cycle of our resolutions as can be seen through out the film and in our lives.
New Year’s Day has becomes less of a celebration of the new year, and more of a haunting of the upcoming promise. Despite our initial intentions, we either put them off never completing them or ultimately give them up because our feeble hopes of completing them are gone. As a result, our resolutions are doomed from the beginning.
Instead, we return to our previous habits with an increased sense of self-loathing. Our self-worth plummets, and the meaning that we hoped to attain is nearly dead. The decisions that we made are then always in the back of our mind in the hopes of being renewed at some undetermined time (aka. the next New Year’s Day).
So, should we abandon New Year’s Resolutions entirely?
If you are the type of person, who has kept them in the past (not me), the answer is no. (Good for you!)
If you are the type of person, who has not kept them in he past (me), the answer is yes. (Sorry, ladies and chaps.)
While resolution may seem like a good idea, they will ultimately hurt you in the end if you cannot keep them. By now, you should have at least a good grasp as to your personality. If you have ever quit something because of a defeatist attitude (like me with ballet and the flute), do yourself a favor, and do not fall into the trap.
Should this mean that you never resolve to be a better person?
No. That would be ridiculous. That would leave one class of self-less martyrs and another class of selfish demons.
To begin with, do not have a large overarching goal. Try to make mini goals that will serve in place of your big resolution. If you want to lose weight, you can truly start at any time by making small alterations in your food choices and lifestyle. If you want to give up a vice, slowly minimize your use of the television, cigarettes, Facebook, or whatever it is. If you want to be a better person, do one small act of kindness each day, whether it be complimenting someone or holding the door open for someone struggling with books.
Take baby steps. There is no need to rush into anything. As Stacey Charter comments, “Life is all about timing… the unreachable becomes reachable, the unavailable becomes available, the unattainable… attainable. Have the patience, wait it out. It’s all about timing.”
Breathe. You have time. Take a moment to reevaluate and rethink. Rome was not built in a day, and neither is life.
Quotation Sources:
http://www.quotegarden.com/new-year.html
http://thinkexist.com/quotations/time/
Photo Sources:
http://blog.stack.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/New-Years-Resolution-629×395.jpg
http://www.dumpaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Funny-new-years-resolutions-someecards.jpg