New Year’s Eve and Day are holidays celebrated internationally. While traditions vary, many people ring in the new year as a chance for a new beginning. People do this by creating goals, or resolutions to keep them in check for the new year and have something to accomplish and work toward.
“I don’t set New Year’s resolutions, but I do often have to set up personal goals for a better me throughout the year. This year I wrote a reflection on 2023 and what I liked and what I want to change for the new year,” said sophomore Danielle Johnson.
Most people dedicate their resolutions to improving their well-being and do so by exercising more or starting a new diet. Others want to benefit their finances, so they might want to start a new job or pick up a “side hustle.”
“Setting New Year’s resolutions has always been one of my biggest priorities because they give me a sense of clarity and to start over as a new version of myself,” said junior Biruktyet Dereje.
More often than not, those who begin resolutions do not see them completely through. Many may have a good start or stick with them for a while, but they inevitably falter.
“Keeping myself accountable is my biggest difficulty. I’ve started telling people when I want to start a new habit that’s important for my well-being because they can help motivate me to keep working at it,” said Johnson.
However, keeping a resolution is a good form of self-discipline and can produce a more structured lifestyle and prompt productivity.
“They allow you to plan your course for the future. So, every year I try to set a realistic and achievable resolution. This could be on anything, like maybe goals I want to achieve on my health or mentality,” said Dereje.
Many agree that resolutions and goals are a great way to work on yourself and your well-being.
“I do think it’s important to work to improve yourself, but I don’t think it’s important to wait until a specific day to do it. If you find something that needs to change and you want to change it, go for it. I’ve found myself stuck in bad habits waiting for holidays to try and fix them, and it’s a habit I’m working to fix,” Johnson stated.
In retrospect, pursuing a resolution seems like a great chance to better yourself for the new year. However, if they are too large of a task or you are doing too many, it makes it harder to complete them. Most difficulties lie with discipline and motivation. Making sure they are attainable and realistic will help promote their longevity.