Everyone has returned to Valdosta State for another semester of classes and with the new year just passing by we all know what that means.…New Year’s resolutions! It’s that first week of the semester and the student recreation is packed, churches are getting fuller, and more people are claiming their study rooms in Odum early. The question is, how long will our resolutions last? Many of us (including myself) tend to set unrealistic goals for us to achieve. For instance, here are some examples of my own “new year new me”
· Reduce my Starbucks intake. (Now why would I even try to do that to myself when I know I love Starbucks?)
· Go to the gym every morning at 8 am. (Sleep > everything)
· Stop watching Netflix. (Is that even possible? How else will I find out if Oliver Queen will ever end up with Felicity Smoak ?)
But this year let’s switch up the tempo and try things from a different approach. I saw a tweet on twitter that talked about One Word That Can Change Your Year. It’s the concept of choosing one word that becomes your goal for the year. The goal and word that I wanted to define my year was perseverance. I am striving to succeed no matter the obstacles.
This method of a resolution may not be for everyone, so here are some other ideas for setting New Year’s resolutions:
- Instead of trying to set specific goals and times for a workout routine, make your goal to improve your efforts to be fit. Park farther away from class (even though that walk is kind of far), take the steps instead of the elevator, Little steps actually make a huge difference no matter how small they are and make getting in shape far more realistic.
- Change your perspective. Try to smile and laugh more, make an effort to spend more time with friends, make an effort to invest in new friendships and put down the phone (you won’t miss the tea that’s on Twitter for the day). You will be more likely to enjoy your year more without even really doing anything different!
- Take good care of yourself. Taking good care of yourself doesn’t mean one specific thing. Its’ actually just to remind you that you need to be good to you. To try to be good to your body by working out more and eating healthier, and be good to your mental health by not letting other people’s opinions control you and by listening to your mind and your body.
One last thing: Whatever you decide to do to create the better version of yourself, the “New Year New You,” don’t announce it to the world, on your social media. Do it for you, and you only! While you might think that announcing your goals is a way to hold you more accountable, you are actually LESS likely to complete them because it creates a false sense of completion.
I hope that 2018 will be a good year for you. I hope you achieve your goals. And if not, you have a lot of time ahead of you. Take care.