The Pros and Cons of New Year’s Resolutions | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

The Pros and Cons of New Year’s Resolutions

Why this list of goals isn’t a good idea for everyone

4.2k
The Pros and Cons of New Year’s Resolutions
Flickr

With the new year fast approaching, the topic of New Year’s resolutions is coming up more frequently in conversation. Many people are reviewing their list from last year and appraising their achievements of 2015. Others are contemplating what they want to improve in 2016. In either case, plenty of people are very into the idea of a fresh start to the New Year. There are already Facebook name quizzes dedicated to 2016 New Year’s resolutions. As prominent as they are, they may not work for everyone

Pros:

1. For starters, the holiday season fosters reflection.

Generally, when you’re surrounded by all your loved ones, you tend to think about the amazing things you’ve gained in the past year, and how else you want to move forward. The calendar change symbolizes new beginnings and makes this New Year’s the perfect time to create new goals.

2. Some people need time to prepare to attain their goals.

There may be supplies that are needed to complete a new project or research that needs to be done to start working on a bucket list item. Others might just need time to get into a new mindset necessary to tackle their aspirations. Creating a New Year’s resolution would be perfect for these people who need pressure to start projects, as the days winding down to the end of the year will motivate people to get prepped.

3. There may be deals associated with your resolution.

The main example I'm thinking of with regard to this is people who want to make a resolution to be healthier. Many gyms offer memberships at a discounted rate for the start of a new year. Having a New Year's resolution, as opposed to starting at any point in the year, could save you a few dollars along the way.

Cons:

1. New Year's resolutions feed into procrastination.

For someone who procrastinates, the concept of New Year's resolutions is terrible. They essentially give a person an excuse to put off getting started on their ambitions until a certain date. If a person suddenly realizes that they need to be working toward a goal in October, they shouldn't wait a few months to begin working on it.

2. There is a lot of pressure to create, share and complete a list resolutions.

Sharing goals can sometimes be counterproductive toward completing them. You might think that by telling people what you want to achieve, you'll have added pressure to reach your goals with others tracking your progress. On the other hand, sometimes when you tell people what goal you’re working toward, you receive praise for trying. For example, if you tell people you’re going on a diet, they may say, “Good for you! I could never do that.” For some people, receiving that kind of praise is enough. They feel so good about people being proud of their decision to be healthier – or complete some other lofty goal – that they don’t bother to actually work to complete the goal they originally set out for.

3. The start of a new year doesn’t suddenly motivate you.

Many of us are just simply unmotivated individuals who need a lot of help when it comes to actually achieving the things we dream about. Many people delude themselves into thinking that somehow the swapped calendar fixes this problem. No date change will automatically fix motivation. Instead, it needs to be worked on, along with the rest of the established resolutions.

So, are New Year's resolutions bad? Well, no. But they aren't inherently good either. If you're someone who just needs that symbolic clean slate to get started, or has only realized necessary changes you need to make after spending ample holiday time with family, then a New Year's resolution might actually work for you. But if you're someone who constantly puts off working toward any aspiration or who doesn't really work hard, then you're going to need to address that procrastinator in you first before you can start checking off items on that list made on December 31st.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
an image of taylor swift standing center stage surrounded by her backup dancers in elegant peacock esque outfits with a backdrop of clouds and a box rising above the stage the image captures the vibrant aesthetics and energy of her performance during the lover era of her eras tour
StableDiffusion

A three-and-a-half-hour runtime. Nine Eras. Eleven outfit changes. Three surprise songs. Zero breaks. One unforgettable evening. In the past century, no other performer has put on an electric performance quite like Taylor Swift, surpassing her fans ‘wildest dreams’. It is the reason supporters keep coming back to her shows each year. Days later, I’m still in awe of the spectacle ‘Miss Americana’ puts on every few days in a new city. And, like one of Taylor’s exes, has me smiling as I reminisce about the memories of the night we spent together.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

82478
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

9630
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments