January has sped by. The feeling of optimism and hope for a New Year and new start slowly starts to fade as the trials and tribulations of everyday life get in the way. The willpower to go on a daily run dwindles into excuses about the cold and being hungover. You’ve already given into that 3am pizza on a night out.
Sound familiar?
Every year society explodes into a frenzy of change, making grand declarations of improving its health and lifestyle. We have all, at some point in our lives, vowed to make a drastic change such as losing weight, quitting smoking, or finding a means to control our shopping addiction (*ahem*), at the start of a New Year. Sometimes these changes are permanent and a positive lifestyle change is made. But more often than not, we struggle to stick to our resolutions and within weeks or months, have altogether given up.
The main reason we struggle so hard to keep up our New Year’s resolutions is because we a) make too many at once and b) aren’t working hard enough to achieve them and therefore quit before the finish line. For example deciding to lose weight is great, and losing weight has never been easier when gyms such as Pure Gym offer amazing deals such as £9.99 a month for one year. However, losing weight does not happen overnight. It takes weeks of regular exercise and healthy eating – in fact, it’s been said by fitness experts that changes aren’t noticed for at least a month by you, and three months by everyone else. Any wonder why it’s so easy to give up?
Making a New Year’s resolution is a fantastic idea at face value, but it does bring attention to the fact that if you really wanted to make a change, why wait for an excuse? If you want to lose weight, hit the gym now and throw away those delicious cookies. If you want to quit smoking, get the help you need and let those lungs breath free air. If you want to travel more, get a job and start saving. It all comes down to how badly you want to make a change.
After years of making various New Year’s resolutions, I made one this year that I think I can actually stick to: be happy. Being happy involves everything in life, from health, education, relationships and general everyday things. In deciding to make sure that whatever I do makes me happy, I am not setting myself up for failure and can do whatever I like in order to achieve it.
When you do make your resolution, make it realistic and make it happen. Throw yourself into the commitment, get friends to join in or support you, and make the most of another year.