I’m Being Realistic About The Realities Of A New Year — And So Should You

The clock strikes 12:00 a.m., as it does every day of the year. But when it happens on New Year’s Eve, midnight takes on an entirely new (and monumental) meaning. It’s understandable, of course; it’s hard to resist the allure of what a new year might possibly bring. A clean slate, new opportunities, and the ability to, just a moment, imagine what life could be, rather than what it is right now. The sentiment is sweet in its absolutely idyllic innocence. 

 

The problem is this: trying to overhaul your entire life simply because the hour and minute hands align on December 31st often leads to disappointment.

 

It’s really too much pressure to put on a new year. 

 

Resolutions can be like eating potato chips; you just can’t have one. Once you make the first resolution, a second, third, fourth…tenth one often ensue, and before you know it, you’ve redesigned your life in the matter of minutes. And that’s what I think is the biggest problem with resolutions. One is never enough. It becomes even more problematic when we put so much pressure on ourselves to complete them all (and all at once), that we seemingly sabotage ourselves within the first few minutes of January 1. Is it no wonder, then, that most people ditch their resolutions by the second week in January?

 

We’ve been so conditioned to think that resolutions must be wrapped up with a big bow before a certain date. As a society, we want instant results, and resolutions, by their very nature, often require playing the long game. They are the kickoff to the game — and not the closing ceremony. They are the impetus for changes — both macro and micro — that will last a lifetime. 

 

Resolutions are rarely quick, flash-in-the-pan desires. They are bigger; they’re life affirming (or life changing) events, meant to shake us up in the most compassionate of ways by the Self. They aren’t an end goal; they are the beginning of a beautiful journey that is meant to be savored and celebrated. 

 

So take a look at your life and see what could use a little tweaking — and what needs a tornado to come crashing through. 

 

That’s why it might not be so much about the radical changes that resolutions sometimes require. Maybe it’s evaluating your lifestyle and seeing where it can be more authentic. Then, create a guideline for yourself of how you want to accomplish them, with goalposts (and not deadlines) that can be moved without making you feel like you’ve failed. For example, if you’re planning to go back to school, you might start looking at schools that offer programs you’ll need so that you can start school in the fall — maybe even along with your kids. 

 

Too much? Start small. Do something that’s simple that you know you’ll be able to accomplish. It doesn’t have to be grandiose; it might be as easy as giving your kitchen a good scrubbing. And once you’ve tackled that to-do, it will naturally build momentum and inspire you to stay the course and do the other resolutions but on your own timetable. 

 

So all of this is to say: speak kind words to your soul. Don’t let a date on the calendar dictate how you’re going to live your life — and make you feel badly about yourself. Learn to move through your life authentically, and know that your resolutions will become a reality when the time is right. 

 

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