Once again it was that time of year again. The dreaded question was asked, “what are your new
year’s resolutions?” I always answer politely by saying I don’t do resolutions or don’t “believe”
in them, which is followed normally by awkward silence. Don’t get me wrong, the idea and
philosophy behind resolutions are inspirational and something I see as comparable to a goal, but I
find the intentions behind them all wrong. I find them to be a societal norm that’s forced and if
you don’t have resolutions then you’re not trying hard enough. New Year’s resolutions are all
about setting “new year, new you” goals and transforming into a new self for the new year. I
have found that every time I set these goals, they have been more negative than positive.
The rushed aspect of these resolutions has also never worked out, and my brain would pick out
flaws within myself to exploit and try to “fix” instead of focusing on how to improve in a positive
way by focusing on my strengths. I think that in theory resolutions are inspirational and
positive, but they don’t always work for everyone in practice.
I find that goals work better, whether short-term or long-term. I set goals for myself in relation
to health and fitness, mental well-being, schoolwork, and overall self-care. Commitment is a
part of achieving goals, and with resolutions I always found myself lacking an ability to stay
committed to my resolutions.
I enjoy setting year-round positive goals for myself to both enjoy and hate (in the moment), but
know that in the end, I’m truly becoming the best version of myself.