According to Wikipedia a New Year’s Resolution is: A commitment that an individual makes to a project or the reforming of a habit, often a lifestyle change that is generally interpreted as advantageous.
Wiki goes on to list the most popular goals (the ones in red are ones I could have made too!)
- Lose Weight
- Get out of Debt
- Save Money
- Get a Better Job
- Get Fit
- Eat Right
- Get a Better Education
- Drink less Alcohol
- Quit Smoking
- Reduce Stress
- Take a Trip
- Volunteer to Help Others
- Be Less Grumpy
- Be more independent
- Watch lessviolence
- Learn something new
However, this year I didn’t make any New Year resolutions. This is perhaps, because I’m not doing too well on keeping the ones I made on my birthday! (My post on ‘Growing Older is Mandatory‘ lists them). I am being too cynical, aren’t I?
I shouldn’t give up on these resolutions so easily. I really can’t afford to. After all, according to Eileen Caddy: The secret of making something work in your lives is, first of all, the deep desire to make it work; then the faith and belief that it can work; then to hold that clear definite vision in your consciousness and see it working out step by step, without one doubt or disbelief.
There’s a lot of motivational stuff out there – plenty of books, websites, resources to improve yourself, achieve your goals, etc. But finally, it’s all up to the individual isn’t it. There’s no quick-fix to self-improvement. Only I can make my resolutions work – I must.
I’m wondering if your New Year resolutions are working for you. If so, what’s your secret? Do share…..
Hi Corinne, I think it helps having this discussion of new years resolutions. Some of the help I offered, I'm thinking about for my own problem areas-cleaning organizing. One resolution I made which helps on 2 fronts is not to criticize others but look to my own and fix that -I no longer criticize my husbands mess I instead shut my mouth and go deal with my own.Thinking about my joy of exercise got me thinking how to have joy of organized life/peaceful surroundings-relationship to stuff and materials. So thanks for opening the dialogue, I think it's helping all the way around.