Resolutions are manifestations of our hopes and are desired to be successful and persistent. Successful accomplishment of our desired goals helps us acquire certain skills, leading to inculcating beneficial habits, making the rest of our lives better.
In a study, it was found that 43% of people give up on their new year’s resolutions by February, each year. The primary reason for this is that people tend to set extremely high expectations for themselves, and give up soon, when they’re unable to meet them. The other reasons were found to be lack of a concrete plan, self doubt and little or no motivation. This leads us to a conclusion that do-ability and mindfulness are the prerequisites for sustaining our new year’s resolution.
Like every year, all of us would make new year’s resolutions for 2021. So let us try and plan these resolutions with a slightly different perspective this time . The easiest way to make resolutions, and stick to them, is by dividing your long term and short term plans into broader areas, and then breaking them down, to draw specific, achievable goals out of them. For a year full of holistic development and growth, your goals should essentially fall under the following five categories.
Physical
We need to treat our body like a temple. It’s extremely important for us to pay attention to our physical well being. This could include the simplest of goals like having your meals on time every single day, or the more harder ones, like losing 10 kgs of weight within the first quarter of the year. We need to remember that goals might differ from person to person. A word of caution, however, is that we should avoid being harsh on ourselves but simultaneously strive to work towards a healthy lifestyle.
Emotional
Emotional and mental well being is as important as physical well being. It is, hence, important to make resolutions that will help us connect with ourselves and understand our own emotions. Journaling is one such thing which solves this purpose and helps unburden ourselves. It’s extremely therapeutic, so deciding to journal everyday, or atleast once or twice a week would make a really good new year’s resolution. Another really easy new year’s resolution would be to have a positive self talk everyday.
Recreational
These are the kind of resolutions in which you would reward yourselves and have fun. This can include a variety of things, from doing self care at least once a week to trying at least two new cuisines that you’ve never tried before. You might set a goal to go river rafting or paragliding by the end of this year or learning how to drive a car. Something that is achievable, fun and useful.
Professional and Educational
This area is the one that’ll help you not only challenge yourself but grow academically and/or make you a better employee. You can make resolutions to improve your grades, which isn’t something you can do in one day, so you’ll have to take baby steps. You can set monthly or quarterly goals and progressively make them tougher. For getting better professionally maybe you can choose to do a short course that’ll widen your knowledge in your field. It doesn’t always have to be that big though, it can also be something as simple as deciding that you’ll reach your office on time so that you get more time to get things done.
Spiritual/Religious
This would not be applicable to all since not everyone believes in spirituality or follows a particular religion. However, if you’re someone who does believe in either or both of them, you know how important it is to connect with God, or whatever higher power you believe in, and thank them for everything you have in your life. As Amy Colette said, “Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It’s the spark that lights the fire of your soul”. Hence, making a resolution that you will be grateful for each and every blessing that you have received in your life and for all the hardships as well because they helped you grow, would allow you to have a very positive mindset throughout the year.
It is important to realize that we all have our individual differences and different priorities in life. Some goals that might be useful for me, might not be useful for you. So it’s important to choose the goals that give YOU satisfaction and aid in the development of YOU, as a person.
