It’s that time of year again. The time when we all sit down and determine what things about ourselves and our lives we want to change for the coming year. A very scary word begins to get thrown around on a daily basis. What is it you ask?
So I started to think about why we make these resolutions - why we feel the need to change ourselves in the coming year. And the answer is simple. We want to be better. We want to have more. We want to be happy. For many of us, that happiness is tied to something physical - being skinnier, dressing better, exercising more. For others it is tied to something material - a new car, a better job, a bigger house. Regardless of the roots of the resolution you make, it comes down to wanting to see a better you in the coming year. But this begs the question: Is a skinnier or richer version of you necessarily “better”? In your eyes, probably yes. And there may be benefits associated with these things. They may make you healthier. They may make your life easier. But do they make you as a person better?
So, as that thought bounced around in my head, I wanted to think of a resolution I could make that would make me better. But more than that, it would make those around me better. And it had to be something that I could keep. Because, let’s be honest, the going to the gym more or spending less money are really just not going to happen. They will work for the first few weeks, maybe even a few months, but then, like always, they will fall by the wayside.
So how can you make and keep an attainable resolution this year? Here are a few tips!
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- Make you resolution about bettering those around you - not just you.
- Make your resolution something that you enjoy doing.
- Make your resolution something that will make you feel good at the end of the day.
- Make your resolution something small enough to achieve but big enough to challenge you.
- Set your goals and keep yourself accountable by sharing your resolution with a friend or family member.
- Keep a notebook or calendar to record your progress - it will help motivate you when you feel you are failing.
- Dedicate 5 (or 10 or 20) minutes a day to working towards your resolution.
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So, what is my resolution for the New Year? To encourage more. To focus on the positives. And to tell my family how much I love them every day. Yes, these resolutions may sound small to some but to me there are daily reminders of the effect that I have on those around me. Because whether I’m a size 2 or 20, whether I live in a shack or a mansion, I will be remembered for the lives I touched. Not the image that I left behind. So in 2012, I’m going to start leaving my mark - on those that mean the most to me!
What about you? What is your resolution for 2012?
I try to make little positive changes in my daily life all year long. It is not the huge steps forward that will make the difference, but many little ones that will help me build the life that I want to live.
I love this! For years, I have actually decided *not* to make a resolution because I could never keep them. This year I"m going to try to come up with a resolution I can stick to and achieve. Thanks for sharing!
I plan on having only 1 resolution that I hope to stick to. I'm going to try very hard to kick my soda addicted for once in my life.
New Year's Resolutions have always been so hard for me!!