New Year’s Resolution And Us
‘New Year Resolution’ is a renowned poem written by Elizabeth Sewell. It is a very practical and realistic poem that inspires a man to lead a pure, realistic, practical and successful life. Although it is a custom that people welcome the advent of the New Year by indulging in merriment but she emphasizes that the new year must be welcomed by making extraordinary resolutions and try to atone for the blunders and sins committed by her in the past. This poem carries a real-life message needed to be followed practically in our life.
The New Year looks like a blank slate and it is required to be filled with the data that would initiate the New Year with new aspirations and zest. It is significant to realize that you’re the same person you were last year (which was just a few minutes/hours ago), so the goals set for NY must be in lieu of the faculties and competencies owned by him rather than to make him overburdened.
Many of us make resolutions of one kind or another because somebody asks us, “So, what’s your resolution?” Make a resolution when you want to, not when you’re ‘supposed’ to. Make a resolution after deliberation, in moderation, and with full resolve.
There is a very important question that I would like to enlighten that what type of resolutions do we make? Sometimes, our list of New Year’s resolutions looks like a list of chores, things we “should” do, but do not particularly want to do. It is imperative that we must consider a resolution that inspires us. It must be something we just want to do and by doing such things; make life joyous and meaningful that surely will promote our health and wellbeing. While you may have a long list of potential New Year’s Resolutions, Richard Wiseman, a professor of psychology at Hertfordshire University, suggests that you should pick just one and focus your energies on it, rather than spreading yourself too thin among a number of different objectives.
Planning is an essential part of achieving any goal. Experts suggest that you should spend some time planning out how you will tackle a major behavior change. You can start by writing down your goal; making a list of things you might do to achieve that goal, and also noting any obstacles that might stand in your way. For Example, every year, millions of adults resolve to “lose weight” or “get in shape” during the next year. Instead of selecting such an ambiguous goal, focus on something more concrete that you can realistically set your sights on. To lose weight and become healthy must be the priority in our life that is not a resolution but a necessity to live and bear a healthy body and mind. Choosing a concrete, the achievable goal also gives you the opportunity to plan exactly how you are going to achieve your goal over the course of the year.
While making resolutions, it is necessary to cater for certain steps to be followed like always start with small steps, focus on taking tiny steps that will ultimately help you reach your larger goal. While it may seem like a slow start, these small changes make it easier to stick to your new habits and increase the likelihood of long term success. You must avoid repeating past failures. If you choose to reach for the same goals you’ve tried for in the past, spend some time evaluating your past results. Which strategies were the most effective? Which were the least effective? What has prevented you from keeping your resolution in past years? By changing your approach, you will be more likely to see real results this year.
If you are able enough to identify and address Barriers in achieving you goals, you shall succeed. You must need to have the answers of these questions; what might get in the way? What might help you to overcome that roadblock? The answers shall help you to go nearer and nearer to your goal.
Always remember that Change is a process, an ongoing process. Those unhealthy habits that you are trying to change probably took years to develop, so how can you expect to change them in just a matter or days, weeks or months? It may take longer than you would like to achieve your goals, but remember that this is not a race to the finish. Once you have made the commitment to changing a behavior, it is something that you will continue to work on for the rest of your life.
It is advisable that don’t let small stumbles bring you down. Encountering a setback is one of the most common reasons why people give up on their New Year’s Resolutions. If you suddenly relapse into a bad habit, don’t view it as a failure. Try keeping a resolution book or record, write down important information about when the lapse occurred and what might have triggered it. By understanding the challenges you face, you will be better prepared to deal with them in the future.
You’ve probably heard an advice a million times “Get Support from Your Friends and Family”, because the buddy system actually works. Having a solid support system can help you stay motivated in achieving your goals.
The views expressed in the article above are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Newspaper. The writer can be reached at rehmanaseef@yahoo.com
