I’ve realized that as January turns into February and the New Year isn’t so new anymore, it’s easy to put the resolutions I’ve made on the back burner— or give up on them altogether. I think the reason for this is that I’ve convinced myself that one slip up is equal to total failure. The thought that there’s always next year is somehow more comforting than acknowledging one bad day and starting again tomorrow. This year, my resolution is centered around habits I’m trying to make, not break. Negatively framed resolutions (I want to lose x, I want to stop y, I want to cut back on z) are not necessarily bad, but this year I’m focusing on framing my resolutions in a more positive light and start thinking about the things I want to add to my life.
One of the habits I’m working on building is reading more this year. And no, I don’t mean from a school textbook or required reading. I love to read, but I tend to use my free time in other ways, like scrolling on my phone or watching something on Netflix, or both at the same time. Looking back at my goodreads account, I read only six books in 2022. After some rough calculations, I determined that in order to meet my new goal of 30 books in 2023, I would need to read about 25 pages a day. Have I done that? No, but another (and might I say more important) habit I want to implement is forgiveness for myself. Sometimes I’ve had a long day reading chapters and chapters worth of textbooks and the last thing I want to do is read more words. So I don’t. I won’t do it the next day either, because I don’t want reading to become a chore. Then there are those days where I can’t put the book down! So, the 25 page goal always evens itself out. I think what matters most is the intention, and I seem to be off to a good start as I’m already on book number four.
I wanted to create a habit of participating in some type of movement each day. That could mean a quick 10 minute pilates video from YouTube, a 30 minute session at the gym, or even just a leisurely walk through the neighborhood. As a dedicated Fitbit girl, getting my 10,000 step alert is a very exciting part of my day. But honestly, some days I just don’t have the energy, whether it be mentally or physically. I’m working on listening to my body and accepting whatever it is telling me. If I need a break one day, I’ll take it, and I shouldn’t feel bad about that—no one should. Exercise should be something I want to do for my body, not something I feel pressure to do each day.
I think a common theme between these habits is to not hold myself to unattainable standards. I want to be honest with myself about how I’m feeling, and act accordingly. There are days where I push myself to practice these habits even when I’m not into it. I know I’ll feel rewarded once I’ve done it, but there are days where I know I need to take a break. Resolutions should not be made with an all-or-nothing attitude, that will likely end with nothing. I’m approaching 2023 and my resolutions with more of a do-the-best-I-can attitude, because that’s all any of us can do.