New Year Resolutions
So here we are in another New Year and, of course, ”New Year Resolutions”! Did you make some? Did you break them? I’m told that 30% of all resolutions are broken within the first week; the rest fold in less than a month. The following are some ‘interesting’ and light-hearted New Year resolutions we’ve come across:
I've thought long and hard, and decided on my New Year's resolution. 1024x768." (Clever!)
Jeff, the owner of blog 'Weird Meat' has made a new resolution to eat as many "weird meats" as possible. In which some of them include raw yak, crickets, ostrich sandwich. (Yuck!)
I will find out why the correspondence course on "Mail Fraud" that I purchased never showed up. (Right!)
I will assume full responsibility for my actions, except the ones that are someone else's fault. (Oh yes!)
I will no longer waste my time reliving the past; I will spend it worrying about the future (and ignore the present!)
OK, but is there any point in making such resolutions? Well, whatever the answer, the fact is that many of us do make them! Somewhere deep within us, it seems, there is something that says ‘I want to be a better person / more healthy / fitter etc. etc. next year.’ So what could be some reasonable things to go for perhaps?
To walk energetically for at least a mile once a week
To go swimming at least once a month
To give up smoking
To take up a new recreational hobby
To eat less junk food
To make time to just sit and relax once a day
To manage my spending better and get out of debt
To make time to be with a friend once a week
To lose some weight
To learn something new
To say something nice or positive to someone every day
To count to ten slowly when I sense anger building up in me
To organise my time so it stops organising me!
To help someone at least once a month
The crucial thing is to tailor-make your things for YOUR life. You may not need to lose weight or give up smoking, say. You may not be in debt or find yourself getting angry. Decide what you want to do, not what others say you ought to do. So look at yourself and decide: what are THE most important areas of your life where you’d like to bring change? Then comes the problem of keeping these resolutions!
So how might we keep some of these – the ones we decided to go for that is? Here’s a simple strategy that cuts down the odds of failure:
1. Write it down.
2. Have a calendar on the wall of the kitchen where you tick off the item each time.
3. Think about what else needs to change to achieve this as a regular thing – plan for it.
4. Share it with a friend – ask them to encourage you to continue it – perhaps they may want to do it as well.
5. Make it fun and not a drudge!
And some light hearted humour to finish with:
“Jill, I need your help to lose weight.”
“Yes, sure, I want to do the same thing too.”
“OK, well the next time I feel like jumping in the car to get a burger I’ll ring you.”
“No problem, I’ll ride with you.”
Losers’ Strategy:
January 1st: I will read 20 good books this year.
January 10th: I will read 5 good books this year
January 20th: I WILL finish the book I was given at Christmas
January 26th: I will regularly read a newspaper this year
February 1st: I will read one article a week
February 6th: I will read the magazine covers in the newsagent’s while waiting to buy my sweets.
New Year Resolutions for Dogs:
I will learn to accept that the cat is from Venus and I am from Mars – and we’ll stay apart.
I will learn not to chase the stick until it is actually out of her hand.
I will not follow the stick into the freezing cold waves.
I will get the postman’s fingers in the letter box.
Quotes:
“Teenager is when you’re allowed to stay up and see the New Year in. Middle age is when you have to. Old age is when you appreciate the fireworks being laid on for your midnight trip to the loo.”
“New year resolution: To tolerate fools more gladly as long as they do not take up my time.”
“Many people look forward to the New Year for a fresh start to old habits.”
“Guaranteed resolution failures: Men – I will read the instructions. Women – I will get my husband to read the instructions.”
So, whether you have tried to step out into new things (even if you’ve failed already) or you simply determine to enjoy the old you, have a good new year!