The tradition of making a New Year’s resolution can be fun, but it also can be a little overrated. Why do we wait until the end of one year to make a decision to better ourselves? Shouldn’t we always be looking for ways to improve ourselves, not putting a bunch of pressure on ourselves on day one of a new year? Either way, people always come up with some sort of idea of how they want to change their lives. Here are the two most common goals people tend to set for themselves, versus what goals we actually should be setting for ourselves:
Instead of “I’m going to lose weight this year,” try “I’m going to be healthy this year.”
Thinking you have to be skinny or lose a ton of weight is one of the most common misconceptions about living a healthy life. Yes, being overweight is dangerous for your health, but there is more to being healthy than dropping numbers off the scale. Instead of joining a gym within the first week of the New Year, ease yourself into it. Start with drinking more water every day, and cutting out drinks such as soda or sugary fruit juices. Try getting rid of processed snacks, like chips and cookies, and choose fruits and vegetables instead. Once you’ve started transitioning into healthy eating, then you can start thinking of a gym membership. Remember, its better in the long run to tone your body and gain muscles than to drop a ton of pounds, and these changes won’t come immediately. It takes dedication.
Instead of “I’m going to fall in love this year,” try “I’m going to fall in love with myself this year.”
The nights are longer, the sun barely shines, it’s freezing, and it seems like everyone is posting holiday engagement pictures all over social media. No one wants to be single this time of year, especially with the pressure of Valentine’s Day less than a month away. Focus on yourself this year. Treat yourself to a spa day. Spend a night in with popcorn, Netflix, and a glass of wine. Don’t compare yourself to everyone else in your life. Love your crazy curly hair instead of wishing it was straight. Both your roommates have boyfriends? They can’t do anything about the cute guy hitting on your group at the bar, so you get automatic dibs. And Valentine’s Day? It’s not all that it’s made out to be. I’ll happily be sticking to my tradition of getting chocolate and a pair of pink fuzzy socks from my mom this year.
However you decide to spend 2015, start it off the right way. Don’t set goals for yourself you know you won’t be able to accomplish. No one wants to go on a diet; instead, eat as much as you want, just eat the right things. It’s more important to be healthy than to drop a lot of weight. Don’t tell yourself you’re going to find “the one” this year, because you’ll just feel awful about yourself if you don’t. If you spend all your time looking for a relationship, you’ll miss out on other parts of your life, like spending time with your friends or your family or focusing on your career. Besides, love always seems to find us when we finally stop looking. Make this year your best year yet, no matter how you decide to live it.