Another year has come and gone. It may have been a great year, or it might have been the crappiest year you have experienced to date. We all hope the new year will be better no matter how good or bad was the past one. In order do to that you are going to make some resolutions.
Well, good luck with that. About 92% of people who make New Year’s resolutions fail to carry them out. Yet these optimists try again and again each year without looking at why they fail so often.
The online newsletter Inc. This Morning surveyed 2,000 people and found that half of them said they failed to keep their resolutions before January was out.
About 71% of people say they will go on a diet or plan to eat healthier. In fact, this is one of the most common resolutions, as many of you know from personal experience. It’s also one of the hardest to keep. The leftovers from the Christmas goodies and meals, the sales on Christmas chocolates and candies just after the holidays and then there’s Valentine’s Day coming up followed by the Easter bunny and his basket of treats. And people usually choose a strict diet that’s hard to keep.
So let’s make this easy: look for some healthy recipes and allow yourself a treat every now and then. I limit my poutine intake to once every month or two. I rarely drink pop.
Simple things. I used to have a gym membership but discovered that while it was great for the first little while, I went less and less as time went on. My plans are to walk more once the weather is less threatening to my health. Take baby steps and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the results. And above all, realize that it will take time to see the results you’d like.
Another biggie is to stop smoking. It has a dismal success rate of around 15%. There are many things out there to assist you in your quest, such as patches, Nicorette gum and this mouthwash that makes your month taste like you ate a turd sandwich when you light up. I got used to the taste after a while.
Some people want to pay off their loans and credit cards. That’s harder than it looks but in order to do it you’ll have to make a budget and keep to it. Most band councils have someone who can help you with this and there are tons of online resources for it. The problem is there’s usually a reason why you are in debt. It ranges from a low income to a lack of control. For instance, that new video gaming console can cost $500 or more and then it’s around $80 a pop for new games. And online shopping makes it so easy to balloon the credit-card balance. Oh well, maybe we’ll save more next year.
Give yourself simple resolutions you know you can keep. Spend more time with the family., Make sure that the garbage is taken out. Brush your teeth every day. And so on. Doing those things will give you the discipline and confidence to take on and keep the bigger resolutions. Instead of “I really wanna,” let’s make it “I’ll really do.”
Good luck and may 2020 be the best yet. Let’s make this a truly Happy New Year.