Why do you need a specific day to feel better about yourself?
It seems that throughout the holiday season, there is another season within that we do not immediately recognize: Resolution Season. Starting about a few days before New Year's Eve until about a week after New Year's Day, our conversations and social media timelines are flooded with resolutions and personal goals that people feel the need to share with everyone else in order to make them seem legitimate.
Whether they are sarcastic goals or sincere resolutions to better one's self, to me it can seem sort of silly. Sure, maybe you're dedicated to the way-too-hyped, "new year, new me" philosophy, but what is it about January 1st that now suddenly makes us want to better ourselves? And while no one is perfect, what if you're already a pretty awesome person, why put pressure on yourself to seek improvement where there might not be a dire need for it at the time? Like the old grade school yearbook signature says, "you rock, never change." Let's not forget that profound phrase.
Of course, the most common goals we typically see are to lose weight, exercise more, drink less alcohol, get more sleep, study harder, etc. However, why wait until January 1st to initiate these goals? Or, why rush, to start them on January 1st? The craziest, most stressful holidays are now over, take a break and start to better yourself (unless, your resolution is to stop procrastinating).
Maybe, instead of proposing all of these things to do better in your life, maybe your resolution should be to maintain your current lifestyle if you're satisfied and just doing the best you can. With everything we've all got going on in our anything but simple lives, sometime's that's all we can hope for.
Another thought: maybe not all resolutions have to directly affect your life. Maybe it's already one of your goals, but perhaps some proactive resolutions could be to try and help those who are incapable of easily making a productive change in their life based on lack of opportunity or resources. Instead of beating yourself up about never stepping on that elliptical covered in sweaters and scarves, consider those who can use your help in any sort of way.
Let’s face it — it’s pretty pointless waiting all year to decide on one or two things that you kinda, sorta want to stop doing, but that you know full well you’re not really committed to following through with anyway.
How crazy is that?
The problem is that as soon as you set yourself a goal you’re saying to yourself that you want more in your life than you have right now. The very nature of goals make you look forward to what’s next, never at what you’ve got right now.
Goals have the tendency to make you feel less-than, because there’s something you don’t have now that you aspire to have in the future. Goals introduce a gap between where you are and where you’d like to be, which instantly makes part of where you are right now a place you don’t want to be – and this is how the very nature of having goals can hurt your self-confidence and self-esteem
Most people tend to think they need to set themselves goals and objectives to see things happen, but that’s missing the point. Show me a goal-hungry person and I’ll show you someone who’s always wanting something better to come along, someone who’s convinced – albeit perhaps not consciously – that reaching their goals will lead to their happiness. Even if that person reaches a goal it’s all too likely that it lacks meaning and personal relevance, and so the hunt for meaning, relevance and happiness goes on.
My 2019 decision? To keep doing the best that I can and easily adjust to any change that comes my way, because that's just a part of life. You should try something different this time.
I'm glad to be back though... Happy new year guys, Let's make this year count... Much Love from me to you
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