Who was the person that decided resolutions should be made at the start of the new year? Sure, it makes sense that the start of a new calendar year would be the perfect time to begin changing habits and marking your progress to becoming a better, more developed person. However, New Years seems to be more of a mass birthday celebration for humanity than a day to reflect on our past and choose to start anew. In my humble opinion, new traditions should be made when we are feeling best about ourselves and the world around us, and that happens during one particular season: spring.
During my freshman year of college, my roommates and I used to go to the Grotto every Tuesday night together. We lovingly called this tradition “Grottuesday.” Looking back, that was a really healthy habit we made. Not only were we taking time to socialize together on the walks to and from the Grotto, but we were also carving time out of our weeks to enrich our spiritual lives. However, this habit broke this year because of the chilling effect of Midwestern winters. The cold made taking a part in a tradition we all loved very unattractive, especially since we would go at night. That’s another reason why resolutions shouldn’t arbitrarily be made on Jan. 1 — no one wants to change their routine when the weather is painfully cold.
In fact, winters are hard on a lot of people. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can make it difficult for a lot of people to push themselves out of their comfort zones during the winter seasons. SAD makes it difficult to focus, maintain sleep schedules, and have energy, so why do we, as a society, choose to make our resolutions during the winter? It seems to me that the best time to make a commitment to yourself is when you’re your best self, and that is usually when the weather is warmer.
Spring is the perfect time to make a promise to yourself. When the Sun comes out after months of living under the permacloud, I, at least, feel like I can do anything I set my mind to. It sounds cheesy, but I fully believe that positivity radiates from the Sun. Spring is the time of cleaning, and I don’t just mean the house. Spring is when people reflect on their lives and look toward the upcoming summer, thinking about how they are going to transition into the social season that comes with the warm weather. As humans, we feed off of other people’s energy, so when we see other people gaining positive energy with the good weather and rebirth of nature, we are more motivated to change our habits in our lives.
Maybe you’re the type of person that likes changing their routine at the beginning of the year. Maybe you like the idea of “new year, new me.” The only question I ask is how long do those changes last? This spring season, I encourage all of you to make a resolution for yourself and see whether starting later in the year makes a difference. I’m willing to bet that it will.
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