By Nandi Bette
Annually as an old year winds down anxiety fills the air about what the new year holds in stock for each one.
As usual, 1st January , the first day of the new year is always the time for the annual routine of making New Year Resolutions.
A New Year Resolution is an intention or commitment to achieve a goal or make a change in one’s life in the new calendar year. It is a personal goal or promise made at the start of the year to improve oneself.
The idea of New Year Resolutions dates back to over 4,000 years ago, when the ancient Babylonians recognized the start of their calendar year and new farming season as the appropriate time for making promises to pay off old debts to their creditors.
The ancient Romans on the other hand, pledged at the beginning of the new year to be of good behavior through our the year.
In the present times, many people make resolutions on new year day because they feel it is a natural moment for self reflection; the time for a fresh start and the season to strive for self-improvement.
New year resolutions revolve around issues like engaging in physical exercises to keep fit; losing weight; getting a bit more organized; learning a new skill; living life to the fullest; spending less and saving more money; spending more time with the family and friends; quitting smoking; refraining from alcohol; travelling to places of interest; dedicating more time to Church worship; reading more books and many others.
It is the belief that such resolutions can change a person’s life through an attainable action plan that goes a long way to show that one can accomplish great things, through taking one step at a time.
Making new year resolutions is setting personal goals and making a commitment to achieve them. It is all about self discipline, being accountable and taking responsibility for one’s actions.
With goals in place, a structure is created that keeps one’s conduct on track and motivated enough for a march into a better phase of self fulfillment.
Goals can also bring on board the strengthening of a support group, like involving a spouse or close friends to encourage one to remain focused on the resolutions.
By sticking to resolutions and putting in effort to keep them on track, one develops a tendency that brings the desired change in lifestyle that could enhance personal growth in the new year.
To make a success of New Year resolutions, therefore, it may be necessary to be mentally prepared for change; set goals that inspire motivation; be specific on what is to be achieved; review the resolutions regularly and get quickly back on track in case of any distractions.
However, the truth is that as January ends, most New Year Resolutions start fading away.
This has kept happening over the years because many persons do not realize that it is actually one’s consciousness that needs to change before behavior itself could be changed.
Another reason why resolutions easily fade away is that, as they are made, there is no personal accountability structure put in place for check and balances to help one sustain the momentum of the envisaged changes.
In addition to these, New Year Resolutions tend to fade away because of the stereotype belief that ‘habits die hard’. There is always the probability for people to remain glued to old behaviors.
Truly, most people fail to realize that Change is a necessary thing in life; and that, after all, in the very first place, it was the desire for this Change that brought about the decision the New Year resolutions.
There’s need to be reminded that adhering to New Year Resolutions not only helps to build confidence of breaking new grounds and reinforcing self-esteem, but it as well ushers an individual into an invigorated new lease of life.
In conclusion, it is noteworthy that through determination, one can remain focused, stick to set goals and effect a positive change of life pattern through out a new year!
@ *Nandi Bette* is a Senior Citizen, Educationist and Author.