As the countdown starts, and when people get their champagne ready, they tend to take a brief second to think about what they want to achieve in the New Year. Setting New Year’s Resolutions every year is a worldwide tradition many like to participate in. This does not mean their participation will last very long. People oftentimes set goals that are out of reach, and in the long run, they are not able to attain them as fast as they want, so they give up. A good solution to that is to make smaller more realistic goals and to have a plan on how to achieve them.
The most common resolutions made tend to fall under the categories of weight loss, saving money, or learning a new skill or hobby. Or, for students who are in school, common goals are to maintain or aim for better grades, improve in sports, or form better relationships with family and friends. These are all great goals to set, but where should someone start if they want to truly follow through on their resolution?
The first thing someone should be sure of when setting a new year’s resolution is to make sure that it is something they really want to accomplish. Having a clear idea of what they want, will make the process easier to follow. Secondly, specific goals should be set to keep on track to accomplish their resolution. It is easy for someone to say their New Year’s Resolution is to save money, but that is a very broad statement. They should break the goal down and set mini-goals for each week to eventually see results for the end goal.
As people are on their way to accomplishing their resolutions, commonly, a lot starts to break off and slowly lose sight of their goals. A tip for someone who wants to stay on track is to ask a friend to hold them accountable. Let your friends know the process and plan to accomplish it so they know how to motivate along the way. The last, and maybe most important tip someone should take with them in the new year is to give it time. A resolution typically takes a while to complete, and that is normal. If the results that are wanted are not seen within a week, keep going. According to the University of California Davis, it takes about 66 days to form a habit. If a resolution is wanted badly enough, it should be made into a habit.
Junior at Lewis Cass, Kaison Hipshir-Walker was asked about his New Year’s Resolution. Kaison’s response was, “My resolution is to drink and track drinking more water in order to stay hydrated during the day and for my sports.” Junior, Ally Berry said her resolution was to stop biting her nails when she is stressed. She hopes to achieve her goal by keeping her nails painted. With these students having a set plan, they hope to achieve their resolutions and their New Year should go just how they plan. Cheers to a fresh start and a New Year, and good luck to anyone who is choosing to chase their new goals.
