I always find the New Year celebrations to be entertaining. It is one of the few times a year when people truly let it all out, so to speak. It is as if people feel that this is the "last time" they can have some real fun because come tomorrow, it is time to put those pesky resolutions to work.
Which is why I don't like to make resolutions.
I used to make New Year's resolutions every year. And I am proud to say that I have kept some of them up. But lately I just don't see the point in the whole practice. I find that New Year's resolutions make me feel trapped and hinder true growth. I am more of a "goal setter all year long" kind of girl - isn't that the only way to improve yourself? Continuously, not just once a year. So I have thrown the New Year's resolutions out the window and I encourage all of you to do the same.
Don't misunderstand me, though. I am not saying that setting goals is a bad thing. Just don't set them once a year because you feel that you have to. Set them whenever you please and actually try to reach them. That way those goals mean more and when you do reach them, you feel a true sense of accomplishment, not just a feeling of "Yeah, I kept my New Year's resolution."
2009 is going to be a good year - I can feel it. Happy New Year!
16 comments:
New Year's resolutions are for the birds. For some reason, they really like to see the New Year come to set goals. I guess it's because they have to plan to get the worm early.
Although I agree that one should make goals any time they choose whenever they choose, I feel as if resolutions are a starting point for most people.
For example one year I choose to give up soda and although it wasn't the hardest of my goals I realize that it was still difficult to maintain soda free. What this accomplishment taught me was that I am able to control myself when it comes to choosing wisely and that if I can accomplish not drinking soda for 365 days than I can pretty much do anything I set my mind to.
Hey it was a start which showed me who I was, who I am today.
I myself do not make New Years resolutions as well. No one really sticks to it anyway, and also your resolutions shouldn't just last for that one year anyway. I believe in setting goals and sticking to them.New Years resolutions seem to be just an excuse to stop a bad habit or change something thats impossible. It might take a year or as many as ten years, but your accomplishment will be well worth it.
I understand what you're saying, on the morning of January 1st while my dad was changing channels on tv that's all I kept hearing on all the talk shows. Every year it's the same thing I realized, some even are redoing the same one. And it's all the boring basics, lose wait, more money, travel a lot. It's almost as if people don't know what to do with their lives anymore. And why do people feel the need for a new year to try and change their lives? If i notice I'm doing something wrong I'll try and fix it as soon as I can, not at the beginning of 2010.
For most people, making a resolution is not just a factor that comes directly with the New Year's day but it's more of a custom or tradition. My family, which is all Colombian, is distributed lentils substituting money in the New Year, each one takes a type of luggage and in it adds money, something red and on top of your cloths yellow panties ( even men do this). After having all of our equipment we but 12 grapes in our champaigne, these stand for the qualities of our personality we want to improve. We lift up our right leg right before 12 and lower it at 12:01 to start the New Year with the right foot. These are just of few of our traditions, and making a resolution is also something we have been taught to do. But I do agree with you on making resolutions and setting goals all year long.
I agree Mrs. Stoklosa, I don't believe in making New Year resolutions either. First of all I never really keep them up. I also believe that setting goals is a much better way to allow yourself to grow. When I set my goals for something I want to achieve I actually do somethign about them rather than just say yay! I kept my New Years resolution. I am looking forward to 2009 and I think it is going to be a great year with many opportunities for me to set goals and achieve them
I agree with all you said because unfortunately many people don't have the determination to set goals throughout the year because they are weak so they need the motivation of a new year to starting working on their goals.
The beginning of the year isn't any different at all than the middle of the year. Any day is a good day to make resolutions and it's better to start as soon as you can than waiting for the next year.
It's true; goals should be something of value. But I never thought of a New Year's Resolution as a depreciated goal. To me, a New Year's resolution has always been a goal, one that, if broken within the year set, will move on to the next year. If I do uphold that resolution for the entire year, it is an accomplishment and lifestyle, no longer a goal.
It depends on how you interpret it.
I can already tell 2009 is going to great. 2009 has already started off a great year with a Florida Gators National Championship. I myself don't make any resolutions because I know I probably won't stick to it. I remember I said I wasn't going to drink soda and eat McDonalds for a whole year and it worked "yeah" for one day. I can never stick with my word if it's for a long period of time.
I agree with you. I have never really gotten into the spirit of constantly making new years resolutions, or even making deadlines. If something is wrong with my life and I don't like something that's happening, I am going to change it right then and there, I'm not going to continue messing up until the next year when it's "normal" to make resolutions. I feel like if you make a new years resolution, and don't keep it, you're disappointed in yourself and I personally don't like this feeling. I would rather make goals that I know I can stick to, and not worry about when or where I accomplish it.
I agree with you on this topic because whenever I have tried to set a new year's resolution, I have never been able to keep up with them. It takes a while to pick one thats worth while and then preparing for it just makes me put it off until later. If there is a goal that you want to set, I don't see a point in waiting for a certain date or time of year to start it. Now is as good a time as any.
Now that I look back to New Year's, it really didn't feel like a new year. This is because I was only with my dad when the ball dropped, while my mom, brother, cousin, and grandma were all in the car driving home and didn't make it in time. I was actually watching these two guys do stupid stunts that could have killed themselves. I didn't make any new years resolutions because every year that I do, I never follow up with them. That's why I don't make them anymore, but then again this year I never thought of any to make.
In my life, it has pretty much been a given that when someone I know sets a New Year's resolution... he or she never follows through with it. I know, that's a pretty negative thought, but truthful nonetheless. I completely agree with your concept; it's the smartest way to think about goal setting. Who cares that it is the New Year? All that really means is that the date is now January.
I don't think I have ever really made a New Year's resolution. If I have it was only because I was somehow forced to write about a made up one in school. I never make these resolutions because, unlike other people, I can't seem to think of all the things I need to correct, like my bad habits or flaws, just on December 31st. Throughout the year I take notice to these things already and when I feel like I need to improve something in my life, I do it. I don't need to wait until the new year to do so.
I have to say that I love the resolution part of new years. Like Maria said, I see resolutions as fresh start for people. Sure we can throw the insignificant ones out such as "I will not chew my finger nails", but for me resolutions are always intended to change for better. On new years I take the time to reflect on the year I’ve completed and I make commitments to change certain aspects of myself that would in turn make me happier. For some reason, New Year’s has always been very important and gives me a sense of hope in which I feel true inspiration to improve my life.
I guess you're right Mrs. Stoklosa. I've never really made a new year's resolution in my life before, not because I didn't want to, but because I didn't really know they existed until just a couple of years ago. After that I always said I would make one on New Years, but I always forget. So in a way, I always forget, so it works out. I never make one.
I also agree with your decision in not making new year's resolutions because it does trap you and you feel like your under some type of curse that has a tight grip on you and can't be released. I think that if you want to make a resolution you shouldn't have to wait till the end of the year, you can start whenever you want as long as you actually start though.
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