First thing is first, I want to get something straight: New years resolutions are pointless. I don’t know who came up with them, but the idea sucks. Every year friends and family all make a list of what they want to improve on, and usually it’s about things they could have started earlier but instead waited until the end of the year to actually put it into action. For me, if I was really feeling down on myself and wanted to improve, I would do it as soon as possible, and not wait another four months to write it on a piece of paper then say I’m going to do it.
Another problem I have with the concept is that it’s rare that people stick with their resolutions. Sure it seems easy after the first week or so, but later in the year, or even month, their will to stick with the transformation declines. Take for example being a better person; a classic, unoriginal resolution, It can be interpreted in a few different ways. The one I usually see is try to be a nicer person towards others. And here is how that train wreck goes: they smile more, they don’t judge for a while, and they don’t insult others when they get annoying. But then there is the one incident that takes them over the edge; whether it’s an office party, or some jerk on the street, something will set the hopeful person off. Then once they insult/belittle/destroy the person who set them off, the whole resolution will be in the trash.
What about a different resolution, let’s take a look at the most common improvement a person can make: weight loss. So you have written down a piece of paper, told all your friends, and bought the right clothes. You join a gym and sign up for some group exercise classes. After your first one, you realize how fun they can be so you go to another, and another, and another. After the first week of classes you decide to do some gym time by yourself. Of course the elliptical is the first option. But even that gets boring… how about the stair-master? No that is too tough on the knees. What about the bike? No, that hurts your butt too much. The treadmill looks nice, but who enjoys running? After the second week you realize that your left knee is really bothering you, let’s give it some rest. Yeah everybody needs a rest day! And that is your downfall. That rest day will continue on into a rest week, month, and finish off in the rest of the year.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t try to better yourself;
all I am saying is that making it into a new year’s resolution is lame. Why wait
until the end of the year when you can start now, or on Monday, which ever
works best. But also if you do choose to do this, then you have to follow
through. It’s pretty pointless to write down if you’re going to through it away
a month later. And hey, think about how amazing it will feel once you have
completed that goal! If it is that important to you, then do it already!
Happy holidays friends! And remember, New year’s resolutions are dumb.