Setting New Year’s resolutions is a valuable exercise

It’s that time of the year again, when we eagerly await the strike of midnight to turn our calendars to a brand new year. And with this new beginning comes a tradition that has been around for centuries – setting New Year’s resolutions.

While the concept of making resolutions may seem like a modern-day trend, it actually has its roots in ancient civilizations. The Babylonians, for instance, made promises to their gods at the start of each year in hopes of gaining favor. This practice was also adopted by the Romans, who dedicated the month of January to Janus – the god of new beginnings and transitions.

Fast forward to present times, and setting New Year’s resolutions has become a widespread practice across the world. Whether it’s to lose weight, save money, or travel more, the start of a new year offers us an opportunity to reflect on our lives and make positive changes.

But why do we continue to partake in this tradition? Is it simply a way to set goals for ourselves or is there something deeper at play?

The truth is, setting New Year’s resolutions is a valuable exercise that goes beyond just establishing goals. It allows us to take a step back and evaluate the past year – our successes, failures, and areas for improvement. This self-reflection is an important aspect of personal growth and development.

The act of setting resolutions has always been highly motivating. By vocalizing our intentions for the new year, we hold ourselves accountable and are more likely to take action towards achieving our goals. In fact, studies have shown that people who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than those who don’t.

What about the argument that New Year’s resolutions are often broken just a few weeks into the new year? While this may be true for some, the mere act of setting resolutions is still valuable. Even if we don’t fully achieve our goals, the process of trying and making progress towards them has its own merits.

Additionally, setting New Year’s resolutions can foster a sense of community. As we share our resolutions with friends and family, we create a support system that can help us stay on track and offer encouragement along the way. This communal aspect can make the journey towards our resolutions more enjoyable and less daunting.

Setting New Year’s resolutions allows us to prioritize and refocus on what truly matters to us. In today’s fast-paced society, we often get caught up in our daily routines and forget about our long-term aspirations. By setting resolutions, we are forced to take a step back and identify what is truly important to us. This can lead to a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

After battling stage four throat cancer and having my voice box removed during surgery, I have already made new, valuable connections and changed aspects of my shattered life. So this year, after thinking about personal accountability I’ve decided to manage one easy resolution and one more difficult.

At first I only wanted to have one resolution: To do nothing to ruin my day. It seemed like the best path forward in the new year and would cover all aspects of my personal and professional life, especially how procrastination has ruined big parts of my life over the years. But the more I considered the goal and decided it alone was doable, I realized that I better set a complimentary goal: To let no one else ruin my day.

I imagine that one will be more difficult to manage, so please wish me luck.