Written by Evi Idoghor, Creator of Letstalknationblog.com
I think the reason why people turn their noses up at the idea of new year resolutions is because of their inability to follow through with the goals they set out for themselves each year. We are usually caught up with the hype of the New Year and want something exciting for ourselves, and for good reason.
However, when such resolutions keep getting unaccomplished, then we become disinterested with the entire process and would rather just live life anyhow it is presented, or better still, take each day as it comes.
If we want to make New Year resolutions, we have to make sure that they are tailor-fit for what we want for our lives and also, that such resolutions are S.M.A.R.T (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely) goals. In this era of social media, it is easy for us to buy into whatever everyone is selling or feel bad that we haven’t accomplished such and such at certain times in our lives. What you must have at the back of your mind when you want to set out goals/resolutions for your life is the fact that everyone’s journey will differ from yours, and that is totally acceptable.
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A question you should ask yourself when you want to embark on the journey of making resolutions is—what is the end goal of this resolution I am making?
Are you just jumping on a bandwagon because everyone else is doing so or do you actually want to see a difference in your life or in the world? When you begin with the end in sight, you will want to stick things through even when the going gets tough because 12 months is a long time to be consistent with anything.
Should you wait till the beginning of a New Year to start making changes?
Personally, I don’t think so. If you notice something you want to change in the month of March, don’t wait till the following year to make the changes. The thing about change is the minute you dedicate yourself to making a difference in any aspect of your life, the results are already set in motion even if you cannot see it.
Slow & Steady wins the race
I am reminded about some of the stories we read as children, especially the ones of the tortoise and the hare. The premise of the story was that the hare was a slapdash animal while the tortoise was enormously slow. Now, when they got into a race together, the hare took off running immediately as it were with its nature, while the tortoise continued at it's slow and steady pace. Eventually, the hare exhausted itself giving the tortoise room to take over and win the race.
We see this same tactic the tortoise used, play out with the participants in long distance races. They usually don't start off with the speed off light because of the distance they have to cover ahead of them. Just like the tortoise they start with a steady pace and then pick up towards the end. What that strategy does is that it saves them a lot of energy; if not they run the risk of not just losing, but also collapsing along the way.
Life as many say is a marathon and not a sprint. Just because someone who is younger than you seems far along in life than you are, doesn't mean you are on the wrong path, and for you to begin inundating yourself with responsibilities that you had no business taking on to begin with. Such a mindset can be done away with if you know your purpose and why God created you. This revelation will enable you to stay on your path and streamline your focus to the things He has set out for you to accomplish.
Also, discovering your purpose rids you of jealousy; many people today are jealous of others' lives when they see them post their goals, resolutions, and accomplishments for the year. If you remain focused, people's successes will only spur you on to do better with what has been handed to you.
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The reality of things is that not everyone puts the total truth on social media; everyone wants to paint a picture of success without truly being successful. People oftentimes get depressed at where they are in life and then go ahead to set unrealistic goals or resolutions for where they want to be and when that isn’t achieved, they lose sight of the true essence of life. In a fast paced world, and an instant gratification generation; I think there is value in slowing down.
You have to go at your own pace, focus on what you want to accomplish and then stick with it.
There really is no point of resolutions if you are not going to honor them. Yes, it is a New Year, it is the crack of a new decade; get a sheet of paper out and set realistic goals/expectations for yourself. Don’t wear yourself out trying to accomplish 1000 things in 12 months.
There is time for everything; everything has its place and should be handled accordingly. Maybe this year it is only one thing you want to change; that is awesome, as long as it is a realistic goal for you. Don’t make others who appear to be achieving much cause you to feel bad about yourself. After all, the Bible says:
“The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.”
Romans 9:16 also says: "so then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy." We are all at the mercy of God, at the end of the day.
So to answer the question: are New Year resolutions a necessity? They are as long as they are realistic and you follow through with them.
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