So here we are. It is officially 2017. Last week, I wrote about how I found the various celebrations of the New Year to be… confusing, to say the least. Another tradition of the new year, usually done right before January 1^st or shortly thereafter, is… resolutions. I used to make them. That was before I realized that they were nothing but promises to myself that were just going to end up broken.

Some people are really great at keeping their resolutions… for a week. Others are actually determined to make them work and they actually pull them off! I envy those people. When it comes to resolutions, I simply fall short at reaching those goals.

Here are some common resolutions that don’t usually end up working well for most people.

1. Diets

People start dieting for a variety of reasons. For some, it makes them feel better both mentally and physically. For others, it isn’t as much about physical health as it is about their mental health and their self-esteem. As far as I’m concerned, if you’re dieting for you, do it. If you’re dieting for someone else, you’ve picked the wrong reason to diet. And, believe it or not, that is more likely to make your dieting endeavors less successful. Regardless, I wish you the best of luck if this is one of your resolutions. As for me, I love bacon far too much.

2. Exercise

This is yet another that I have to give proper respect to those who can actually keep up with a new exercise routine. This often pairs with dieting for the ultimate goal of “Lose Weight.” Starting to exercise after not doing so is one of the hardest things that someone can do, but exercise actually makes people feel great when they stick with it. Me? Nah, you can head to the gym without me. While working out makes others feel better, it certainly does not do me any favors.

3. No More Distractions/Work Harder

I don’t think I have ever gotten through writing an article without getting distracted at least twice… ten times. Even as I wrote that sentence, my phone was blowing up beside me. And I, naturally, took the time to respond to every message. But this resolution is super hard. Especially when your work involves using the computer. If that computer has internet access, you can forget about actually getting things accomplished. It is far too easy to get distracted when the internet is within reach.

Regardless of whether or not you have decided to make New Year’s resolutions, here’s to wishing you the best of luck in the new year! 2016 definitely brought on some extreme challenges. Everyone has a bad time every now and then, but…

That is, unless you’re one of those people who are actually going to stick to their resolutions…

What resolutions have you made for yourself this year? Let me know in the comments below!