New Years Resolutions: A declaration of change for the new year that ultimately is not followed by anyone after a few weeks.
Change is welcome, albeit many people only seek it when a new year is approaching. After claiming the previous year that they were going to lose a bunch of weight, they gave up two weeks in and decided, “Awh, screw it. I’ll start again next year.” Generally, I applaud people who are willing to change something about themselves or how they go about life, yet over the years I’ve grown skeptical of the whole New Years tradition.
Why is it that people are only electing to bring change into their lives around New Years? The comparison I’m about to make may seem a little out of line, however I feel it matches best to what I’m trying to convey. After the despicable shooting in Newtown, Connecticut where nearly 30 people lost their lives and many others injured, a lovely woman named Ann Curry inspired a mass movement called 26 Acts of Kindness, which asks everybody to do one act of kindness in memory of each victim who lost their lives at the hands of Adam Lanza. On human nature’s part, this is excellent and incredibly unselfish. My issue lies with the fact that many people seem to only be inspired by tragedies and upcoming holidays to do good for others. People have effortlessly applied this concept into those dreaded New Years resolutions. I think it’s fair to argue that if our calendar didn’t start anew every January, a lot of people wouldn’t be electing to change whatsoever. Would there be an Acts of Kindness movement if there weren’t any tragedies or holidays to consider? Maybe so, but only very few people would be inspired as many are infatuated with their own well-being.
I have decided that I have no true New Years resolution. I have come to the conclusion that I need to be myself and do good for others at any opportunity I get. Change is welcome, but I don’t feel the need to change because then I just wouldn’t be myself, I’d be just as guilty as those who are only inspired by outright disaster to not only think about themselves.
While I would love for all of you to achieve your goals, I implore everyone to not reserve your weight loss goals, personality changes, and what not for New Years resolutions. Instead, make these your daily goals because New Years resolutions are bound to be broken. There’s no motivation whatsoever to reach your New Years’ goals because you can always “start again next year.” Having daily goals will give you the proper motivation you need to succeed.
Happy New Year, everybody!
My Seven Devils 