If you ask me what New Years resolutions I’m making this year, I’ll tell you I don’t believe in them. Does my resistance to making a list of resolutions mean I don’t have any vices I should work on? Absolutely not. I, like many others, should exercise more, eat healthier and probably have more patience with my kids. Oddly though, I’m not making any New Years resolutions this year, nor will I in the foreseeable future.
In truth, New Years resolutions are daunting tasks that start out enthusiastically, yet statistics have shown that after only two months 75–80 percent of people have already given up. Even worse than quitting though is the hit your self-esteem takes when you do throw in the towel and you are left feeling like a loser. Don’t get me wrong I’m not against self improvement, quite the contrary, I know we are all works in progress, yet instead of allotting one day to improve my life I’m opting for the 365-day plan.
I’m no pro in the process of changing habits but I do know one thing, any real life transformations I have made in the past came from day to day resolve and one step at a time. The old Chinese proverb by Lao-tzu, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” says it all. Small goals really do work, even though it may be cliché, the tortoise really does win the race. Day by day tiny, seemingly benign tweaks and adjustments can end up with you losing those stubborn ten pounds, being faithful to an exercise regime, conquering an addiction, being more financially stable or just being a better person. Meaningful changes take time and commitment and a belief in the end product.
In my opinion New Years is when you celebrate all that you’ve achieved or just lived through over the year, it’s a time to count all the little changes you have made in the past 365 days that are paying off in small or big ways, it’s when you pat yourself on the back for not giving up even when the chips were down. New Year’s is a time for hopes and dreams with no time limits attached. It’s a chance to take a hard look at who you were the year before and who you are today and applaud yourself for getting though yet another year intact and for realizing that in some small way you are better than you used to be and that through good and bad you alone and not January 1st, are the master of your life.
Happy New Year.
