The first day of January used to begin when my groggy, pajama-clad self trudged upstairs to the kitchen for a late breakfast and a mug of black tea at 10 a.m. The night before, I held my eyes open until midnight while simultaneously eating cookies and scouring my brain for words starting with ‘J’ during a family round of Scattergories. I still felt dazed and jittery, but what really assaulted my peace of mind was a notorious plethora of personal aspirations: New Year’s Resolutions.
For years, designing multi-colored flow charts in my jumbo-sized planner felt more grueling than rewarding because my plans were often too ambitious or complicated to achieve. I met this cumbersome task with fleeting enthusiasm that quickly morphed into resentment and self-defeat. What did it matter if I meditated for exactly 30 minutes five days a week? Wasn’t my goal to bring more awareness into my life and de-stress? As the allure of my objectives wore off, the last flames of my motivation sputtered out, leaving me stranded with no way to navigate the road to achievement.
This cycle persisted until about two years ago when a radical notion threatened to upend my beliefs: maybe, just maybe, I didn’t need to set unreasonable goals simply because the calendar read Jan. 1.
Maybe I didn’t need a New Year’s resolution at all.
Instead of going cold-turkey and ditching my entire goal-setting system, I compromised. I selected the most urgent areas of my life to give immediate attention to and gradually worked my way down the list. For example, managing my stress and mental health seemed more critical than organizing my bookshelf.
When people wait an entire year to set health-related goals, they may deprive themselves of a better quality of life, according to the online news platform HeraldNet.com. Postponing doctor visits and ignoring feelings of discomfort only prolongs medical issues. By the same token, it’s wise not to take on too much at once and become overwhelmed.[penci_text_block block_title_align=”style-title-left”]Facing a new year without a solid plan horrified me. Not having a resolution meant I had to rely on my own mind. If I could barely survive a two-day school week without my planner and a barrage of phone alarms, making it through an entire year would be utter chaos.[/penci_text_block][penci_info_box _text=”After 30 days, less than 25% of people stay committed to their resolutions and 8% accomplish them, according to Forbes.” icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-star” icon_size=”sm” content_fonts=”font_family:Roboto%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C500%2C500italic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:500%20medium%3A500%3Anormal” content_font_size=”16px” penci_show_desk=”1″ penci_show_tablet=”1″ penci_show_mobile=”1″ block_id=”penci_info_box-1581218584655″ _content_color=”#161616″ icon_color=”#ffcf0f” icon_border_color=”#ffffff” icon_hcolor=”#ffffff”][penci_text_block block_title_align=”style-title-left”]Adopting a shorter to-do list only kept me afloat for a few months. There were just too many things I wanted to do. I knew it was time to revise my revisions.
As I sat down yet again with a fluorescent gel pen, I considered what, exactly, was so appealing about making resolutions on Jan.1. Why not St. Patrick’s Day? Or the first day of spring? The start of the year offers some people a “blank slate,” allowing them to feel in control of their lives, according to the healthcare system of hospitals, physicians and specialists, Piedmont Healthcare. Dopamine, the “neuro-hormone” that regulates the brain’s pleasure and reward hubs, is at its highest when creating goals. Implementing a reward system helps combat the gradual decrease in dopamine, and thus motivation, one experiences.
I knew, however, I needed to make resolutions when they were appropriate, not just on New Year’s. This would increase my chances of sticking to a plan and seeing results. Another factor to consider was self-criticism. I noticed the rigorous charts where I tallied my progress fostered an all-or-nothing attitude. I resolved to give myself more clemency and room to grow by setting broader goals.
My resolutions today are a far cry from how they were several years ago. I no longer write a novel’s worth of aspirations on Jan.1. When I make goals now, I scribble a quick list and return to it every few weeks to see if those areas still require work. I also pay attention to overwhelming areas of my life, which alert me of the need for change.
This past semester was one of the busiest, most chaotic chapters of my life. I felt chronically stressed, agitated and unwell. Naturally, I got out my notebook and made a brief list of possible resolutions for second semester, but unlike past years, these goals weren’t overbearing or punishing. Now, when I’m finished sipping my New Year’s Day tea, I can face life with less weight on my shoulders and be willing to move on and forgive myself if I can’t complete everything on the list.
What is your opinion on New Year’s Resolutions and/or what are your resolutions for this year?
Do you set New Year’s resolutions? Let us know in the comments below.[/penci_text_block]
