Why I Think New Year's Resolutions Are Overrated
Hello!
It’s hard to believe that 2020, the never-ending year, finally came to an end. Everyone is quick to argue that 2020 was the worst year ever; while I agree that this past year was definitely an unpredictable year of loss and distance from loved ones, I think we should try our best to focus on the blessings that came from this year too. This year reminded me that life will always consist of good and bad moments, and that it’s up to us to find the moments of joy and be grateful for what we do have.
As the new year begins, everyone’s been talking about the new goals they want to accomplish in 2021, and several friends have asked what my New Year’s resolutions are. If I’m being honest, I think New Year’s resolutions are overrated. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love the idea of wanting to improve ourselves and setting goals on how to do so. However, the emphasis on changing an aspect of ourselves at the very beginning of the new year places too much pressure on people to magically transform when the clock strikes midnight. You won’t immediately change just because the new year came, and it’s important to acknowledge that you can only accomplish your goals when you truly commit to change, whenever that may be.
I’ve learned from personal experience (and the FRIENDS episode where each of the characters hopelessly fail at keeping their New Year’s resolutions) that these resolutions typically only last for a short amount of time. Within a month, everyone starts struggling to stick to their goals; by that point, they abandon any hope for improvement in that year and simply claim that the following year will “be their year.”
I’ve touched on this before and I’ll mention it again, but we need to be realistic about the fact that we might not be able to stick to a goal every single day. Thus, we need to stop being so hard on ourselves if we don’t stick to our New Year’s resolutions and acknowledge that we can simply start over the next day. While it may feel like the only chance for a fresh start is at the beginning of the year, the reality is that you can start over any day you want to.
On that note, I hope 2021 brings us all peace and happiness and allows us to continue to be our best selves.
With love,
Haya Ahmed
