New Year’s Resolutions You Should Stop Making
Jan 2, 2020 • Kyzia Maramara
We’ve just celebrated the turning of a decade and now another New Year is set before us. It’s January! Emotions are still high, stomachs are full, and dare we say motivation levels are soaring. No doubt most of us are already drafting a new batch of resolutions that would probably fizzle come February but no matter, it’s tradition. But is it your tradition to disappoint yourself year in, year out by not accomplishing these resolutions?
This 2020, maybe it’s time you stop writing down things you know you might not accomplish at all and start looking at things you can.
“Travel to x number of places”
If there’s anything that 2019 proved, it’s that millennials (and lately Gen Z), love to travel. It’s the allure of discovering a new place and a new culture but also, deep down, it’s really the thought of populating their own feed with awesome travel photos that would make their friends jealous. Wanting to travel isn’t bad but if it’s on your resolutions and you start booking those flights without checking if you’re financially capable, you better slow down. In your 20s, you must be itching to see the world but the world isn’t going anywhere anytime soon and so will your debt if you push your luck.
“Quit current job, look for a new one”
Show of hands, how many people here planned to resign from their job come January 2020? It might be for a myriad of valid reasons but shouldn’t you be better off with a mindset of striving to be a better employee and loving your job more than you did last year? Hang in there, pal. Most of the time our jobs are ruined because we choose to look at things in a negative way. Change your mindset to gratefulness and you might find you appreciate where you’re at at the moment.
“Find The One”
If you ended 2019 single AF, it might be better to not wish for a love life at all this 2020. There are people who are “kating kati” to have someone who they can call their significant other but remember that there is a time for everything. If that person isn’t in your life right now then that means this is your time to grow yourself and know yourself in preparation for your future S/O.
“Reinvent myself”
“Be a better person.” It’s obviously not bad to desire to change who you are but a complete reinvention is just never going to happen. You can acquire new hobbies and skills, practice changing things in your routine, or doing away with things you think don’t make you into the person who you want to be. If you totally reinvent yourself you’ll end up either disappointed you can’t or confused as to who you’ve become.
“Get a gym membership this January”
Sports center memberships must be sky high every New Year while people are still inspired and motivated. It probably happened to you: your one-year membership used for only two out of twelve months. Maybe it’s time you considered a new tactic if you really want to whip that body up to shape. Try small exercises at home at first and then move on to exercises that require you to get out of the house. Once you see if you can commit then get that gym membership. There’s no pressure anyway, you can always start any month you like.
“Buy more books/games/clothes”
Let’s be honest, the pile of books on your shelf has never been read since you bought it last 2018. Finish those titles first and then allow yourself to purchase more. The same goes for games and clothes you’ll be tempted to buy this year. Do you really need them?
If you must write, stop writing down vague resolutions
“Spend time with family”, “Work harder,” “Be a better person,” all these are great but they’re not specific and therefore have a higher chance of being unaccomplished. Spend time with your family by doing what? By taking them out to eat once a month. Work harder how? By clearing all your tasks at the end of the day so you don’t have to pull in overtime.
If you’re still writing goals, make sure they’re measurable. That way you feel like you actually achieved something.
Better yet, quit making New Year’s resolutions at all
Resolutions aren’t bad but once you make them, it’s like a universal inside joke that everyone knows you can’t follow through. Instead of writing your goals every start of the year, why not write them multiple times year-round? You can write monthly resolutions heck even weekly resolutions. Every day, every minute is a new beginning and once you understand this, you might actually get a chance to cross out the items on your list for 2020.
Happy New Year everyone!
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