There is nothing more enticing than the thought of a fresh start. New beginnings, opportunities, and abilities seem appealing from the surface like a gift box with a shiny bow, waiting to be opened. However, once the wrapping paper is ripped to shreds and the bow has been dismantled, accepting the gift falls into the hands of the receiver. Whether or not you take the gift with open arms or bring it back to the store with the receipt in hand is based solely upon how much the gift is desired. In relation to New Year’s resolutions, the goal you have in mind is only as realistic as how much you want it. Making a long-term goal is arguably more difficult than a short-term goal, for the quality of the results and the quantity of time spent on working towards achieving it are all your own doing. Outside influences such as social media, friends, family members and even professors can have a massive impact on how we choose to implement our behavior. For instance, when scrolling through your social media feed, you stumble across someone posting about their weight loss success story. While you may feel happy this person has achieved their goal, feelings of envy for not being able to fulfill your own goals and feelings of sadness for not being able to create any stable goals are persistently plaguing thoughts that drag down not only your self-confidence, but any and all forms of motivation you might have possessed.
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Comparing the quality of your life to that of others will not steer you in the right direction. In order to fulfill that void New Year’s brings, reflect on how you as an individual can make a change in not only yourself, but in others as well. Reflect on the previous year, what was your happiest moment? Who or what was responsible for giving you the most joy? What was the worst thought you had last year? Why did you feel this way? If you have difficulty answering these questions or have multiple answers, take the time to realize what your insecurities are. Everyone has weak points, and whether you are given a fresh start or not, these weak points will follow you wherever you go unless you possess the willpower to find it within yourself and change them. Building your mental and emotional strength is just as important as maintaining your physical strength. Surround yourself with people you love, those who love you, and places where you have the chance to flourish. When the New Year comes, think about how you can be a better person for you, how you can be the change and make small differences every day.
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