The start of a New Year is an exciting fresh start where you can change things in your life for the better with a seemingly clean slate. At the beginning of every new year, people around the world make resolutions to better themselves, but they often fall through with their goals after January. I have never really made resolutions, but this year I want to make and keep a resolution that will help me grow and challenge myself. I want to keep my resolutions throughout the year and maybe even add goals as I go.
This year my main resolution is to be a go-getter. I want to take every opportunity that presents itself to me and find other ways to expand and grow in all areas of my life. I want to make myself uncomfortable and go after things that might scare me. I have accomplished this so far by signing up for a leader and mentorship program in my major and planning outings with my friends like going ice skating. I also want to gossip less and focus on more productive conversations. I have not done very well at this, but I think it will make me happier not to dwell on some situations so much. Finally, I want to communicate more with my friends who do not go to Madison so I can keep my relationships with them strong.
People often give up on their goals and resolutions because they make them too big or impossible to accomplish. They give up at the first sign of failure because they think they will never succeed. This is especially true when people focus on results like losing weight or getting all A’s. I think it is easier to be successful when you make your goals about the process, like working out three days a week or creating a study schedule. Having smaller resolutions is more attainable and makes it easier to keep up with them. Realistic goals can make following through with resolutions easier.
People also need to remember that failure is okay and that even trying to reach your goals is successful. Any step towards fulfilling your resolutions is working to better yourself and attempting to complete your resolutions; falling short is still better than not trying them at all. New Year’s resolutions are for the entire year usually, so it might take some time to get results to your goals or you might face setbacks but you have a whole year to achieve your goals. Even if you stop or give up for a little while you can start back up anytime. The New Year is not the only time to make goals, so you can change and develop yours as you go. If I do not follow through on my resolution for a while, I will try to remind myself of my goals and search for ways to continue meeting them. I will say yes to more opportunities and make sure that fear of failure or not being good enough will stop me from trying to do things like meeting new people, trying new things or applying for jobs or clubs.
Resolutions should make you happy. It is important to remember that they are for you and your personal growth, so they should make you feel good about yourself or help improve your life. You want to have a good time with your resolution so you do not dread trying to meet it. This is not to say they should not be challenging because that will make you feel more proud when you accomplish them, but they should be manageable. So go out and make resolutions that help you in the following year and beyond.