Broken your New Year’s resolution yet?
Yes, we’re only a few hours into the new decade, but let’s face it, many people have already failed to meet the goals they set for themselves.
If you’re one of them, don’t worry, you’ll have lots of company.
One reason people fail to achieve those lofty New Year’s resolutions is the “lofty” part; they’ve set that bar where it’s just too far out of reach.
Year after year, the top 10 list of resolutions looks much the same: Exercise more, lose weight is always up there, as are the money-related resolutions.
It’s in a good cause, for sure. Improving yourself is always important.
But most people don’t manage to make those drastic changes, especially at a stressful time of year, while suffering the after-effects on holiday indulgence, whether that be spirits, food or sweets.
That’s no way to set yourself up for success.
Still, reflecting on making positive changes isn’t a bad way to finish up the year. Even if you’ve given up on making New Year’s resolutions, taking the time to reflect on where you’ve been and where you are going is always a good way to learn and improve.
We can be awfully rough on ourselves this time of year with the goals we set, but why not set some more fun goals instead? You could, for example, resolve to spend more time with family or friends.
Learning a new skill is another good one. It might take a little work, but if you pick something you’re always wanted to do, the satisfaction will outweigh the effort.
But there’s another category that doesn’t revolve around self-improvement, and that’s making the world better for others. Charity doesn’t usually make it too high on the top 10 resolutions list, but it is almost always there, which is a hopeful sign for humanity.
For instance, think about what would happen if we all resolved to increase our donations to the food bank, or your favourite local charity, by a few dollars a month. How many more people could be helped?
Making resolutions is fun, no matter whether your goal is improving your body or mind.
But there is one resolution we’d like to suggest for everyone. Be a little kinder to yourself and everyone around you. It’s the first step on the road to making a better world.
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