As we have just entered into the second month of 2018, I couldn’t help myself but reflect on the buzz that comes with the new year. The buzzword of January of course is New Year Resolutions. The context of New Year Resolutions for this article is that of seeking to cub a certain behavior or habit. It is interesting that most people forget about their new year resolutions by the end of January. They have now moved on to valentine, I guess. Over the years I used to draw up a list of things which were my resolutions. But just like everyone, I would meet only a few if any.

Following this, I began to question why I failed to keep my resolutions. Only to find that there are many out there who have the same struggle. This led to quitting this tradition of new year resolutions and the reasons are simply yet powerful.

Instead of new year resolutions I began to formulate goals and plans. New year resolutions seldom work because we view them as something for the new year instead of something for our lives. For example, the most common resolution is to lose weight. So a person declares that they would like to lose weight in the new year, and well, we know what happens in February. When you do goals and plans instead of resolutions, you begin a healthy lifestyle that is to last forever. The year might be the beginning but is not the end. You do it thinking of even the following years.

If anything, most new year resolutions will never work because they are not intentional or well thought of, they are formulated in the hype of the new year. Think of it, when do people formulate their resolutions? Mostly it is in January. Those who actually go on to do well in the new year are those who planned and formulated their goals thoroughly. They plan for 2018 while in 2017. Also, new year resolutions often focus on quitting something. Its focus is in cubing a certain habit or behavior, and this becomes a struggle because habits are not cubbed by quitting but by replacing with another.

Instead of focusing on cubbing laziness, formulate goals to work towards and develop plans to actually reach them. Instead of just focusing on not eating junk or gaining weight, why not focus on eating healthy and building your body? What most people do not realize is that the thought of quiting something in itself is demotivating. Our mind has many stories that it brings to our conscience mind that are demotivating. On the other hand, the thought of achieving something or beginning something is very motivating. One of my mentors shared with me that it is easier to give birth than to raise the dead. This makes so much sense in this context.

Form new habits to replace the old ones. If you intend to cut down on TV, why not get involved in reading books? That way you will be engaged and will therefore not be found seating on the couch again. Lastly, I actually learnt that in order not to consume junk food or give to the craving thereof, make sure that you eat your healthy meals constantly and rightly to ensure you never go very hungry.

There you go, why I don’t do new year resolutions. While I used to fail dismally with new year resolutions, it is not so with my goals. In actual fact, all my goals are still looking great and I am still striving towards them within time lines.