I still believe in New Year’s resolutions. To me, the act of writing down my aspirations and goals for the new year was always an important step in starting the year off right. Resolutions to me were things I wanted to work on and achieve. From wanting to cut out fizzy drinks to improving my grades, I wrote it all down wishfully. But writing my resolutions down was only the start. For every goal I wrote, I also wrote down a corresponding plan to get to that goal. For me, New Year’s resolutions were a way to lay down the foundations to a successful year. For many, New Year resolutions were filled with nothing but years of disappointment and let downs, as a result of putting pressure on themselves.
New Year’s resolutions were always a big part of my life growing up. During my formative years, I remember my older sister and I staying up past our bedtime, coming up with goals we wanted to achieve for the brand new year. And with every New Year that came, we would discuss our old resolutions and what we could’ve done differently. To us, New Year’s resolutions were special, and there was nothing like them. The joy of making it to another year only made it more special and made us cherish it even more. As we grew older, we began to spend our New Year’s Eve on the phone with our cousin, coming up with resolutions and hopes for the new year as always. We didn’t let the failures of the last years’ aspirations get in our way, nor did we put pressure on ourselves. As long as we were hopeful and excited for the brand new year, we were happy.
I believe in New Year’s resolutions because they keep me hopeful and happy. Planning out my goals for the year makes me feel like I have something to live for and to look forward to. My resolutions helped me visualize what I wanted to work on most; they helped me figure out what I needed to do to have an even better year. Sometimes I ticked off 3 things off that list, sometimes 1. What matters most was the fact that I spent time with the people I love most, discussing our goals and encouraging and supporting each other. I looked forward to New Year’s, the phone calls, the wishful resolutions, and the discussions surrounding the past ones. It’s a tradition I can’t part with.
I know how hard it can be to put so much pressure on yourself to change your habits and achieve goals. New Year’s resolutions can be depressing, and they shouldn’t be; they should be about starting fresh and giving yourself room to grow. Set realistic goals and conceptualize what you want out of each brand new year, and don’t be too hard on yourself. Think of New Year’s resolutions as a tool of manifestation.