New Year Resolutions?
Hey! Yeah, hey you! Happy New Year!
I hope you all had an incredible 2013 and have big and small goals for 2014! (Already typed 2013 about four times on accident.. sigh.) Even though it's so cliche to want to do big things and change your life for New Years, it truly does start now!
On that note, I just have a few things to say about New Years resolutions.
First: Why does everyone wait until January 1st to do something?
I understand wanting to start the New Year in the "right way" or waiting until it's a "clean slate" but honestly, it's really just another day. The only difference between January 1st and say, July 8th, is that January 1st starts a new year. But why does that mean everyone is going to start eating less junk food or buy a gym membership or start being nicer to people on January 1st? If you really want to make those changes, or any changes to your life, start when you decide you want to make a change. Not until the New Year.
Second: If people want to accomplish these goals, why do they (almost) always give up on them?
The running (no pun intended) joke is that gyms make the most money on the first and second day of the year and then they go back to normal because everyone starts their New Years resolution and then they give up. If everyone waits for the New Year for a "clean slate" and a "fresh start" why do they give up on it so easily? It's one of those things that will just never click in my mind. (If you want to try to explain it to me, please, be my guest!)
Third: People. Go. Crazy.
What do I mean? I mean that people set unrealistically high goals for their New Years resolution. For example, I want to lose 30 pounds by February. Well, that's a pretty big goal if you haven't already been working out and eating right. You have to be dedicated and really want to achieve that goal otherwise you're just setting yourself up for disappointment. (Maybe that's why almost no one keeps exercising past January 2nd..) But again, it goes back to people not really wanting to work at these goals. I mean, it's not going to be easy, but who said it would be?
Fourth: Disappointment.
People get disappointed. They set high goals, don't want to put in the work, get disappointed that they didn't get the results they wanted, and go back to their old ways. Sound familiar? I'll admit, I've been in that position before. Set a high goal, start working really hard, slow down a bit, then stop altogether and be like, but how did this not work? My advice on this topic (from personal experience): Even though you're excited to get in shape or to start doing something you've never done before, start small. It's hard to contain yourself when you're super excited to start something, but you'll thank yourself later. After three weeks, you'll be glad you started jogging instead of hitting the ground sprinting. Reach smaller goals then set larger goals that are easier for you to reach instead of starting big from the get go and then being disappointed when it doesn't work out.
Okay, I know I probably sound really negative. But I'm not, I promise. These are just thoughts I've complied in the last 24 hours and realized that most people probably don't see these things. Or maybe they do and we all just want to think to ourselves, "Yes! Someone agrees with me!"
New Years resolutions can be great if you stick to them! Working out for a solid three months gets you into the lifestyle where you just don't want to quit because you're reaping the benefits. Being kinder and more generous to people in your life can change the way you view life and bring new people into your life. Doing something you've always wanted to do and then doing it is the best feeling in the world. What I'm trying to get at is New Years resolutions aren't all bad. They can be the best choices you've ever made!
With that said, I have a few for 2014. I tried to keep the list short so I don't get overwhelmed and quit on all of them. So without further ado, here are my 2014 New Years resolutions.
Fourth: Disappointment.
People get disappointed. They set high goals, don't want to put in the work, get disappointed that they didn't get the results they wanted, and go back to their old ways. Sound familiar? I'll admit, I've been in that position before. Set a high goal, start working really hard, slow down a bit, then stop altogether and be like, but how did this not work? My advice on this topic (from personal experience): Even though you're excited to get in shape or to start doing something you've never done before, start small. It's hard to contain yourself when you're super excited to start something, but you'll thank yourself later. After three weeks, you'll be glad you started jogging instead of hitting the ground sprinting. Reach smaller goals then set larger goals that are easier for you to reach instead of starting big from the get go and then being disappointed when it doesn't work out.
Okay, I know I probably sound really negative. But I'm not, I promise. These are just thoughts I've complied in the last 24 hours and realized that most people probably don't see these things. Or maybe they do and we all just want to think to ourselves, "Yes! Someone agrees with me!"
New Years resolutions can be great if you stick to them! Working out for a solid three months gets you into the lifestyle where you just don't want to quit because you're reaping the benefits. Being kinder and more generous to people in your life can change the way you view life and bring new people into your life. Doing something you've always wanted to do and then doing it is the best feeling in the world. What I'm trying to get at is New Years resolutions aren't all bad. They can be the best choices you've ever made!
With that said, I have a few for 2014. I tried to keep the list short so I don't get overwhelmed and quit on all of them. So without further ado, here are my 2014 New Years resolutions.
- Blog at least three times a month, on this blog! (I don't want to over-commit myself to this day every week but I know I can handle more than two if I sit down and just write! I would love for this blog to grow into something by this time next year!)
- Do some form of exercise at least once a week. (Whether it's yoga, going to the gym, whatever. Although, in Wisconsin the snow is insane right now. So unless you want to slip on the ice, save the running outside for springtime.)
- Don't be so serious. (I tend to, over time, get very serious about everything. Whether it's school, other people, or myself, I just get so serious. Sometimes I need to just live a little and remember, I'm allowed to have a little fun every now and then.)
One last thing to say, then I'll wrap this thing up. To make sure you do these things, try writing them down in a place you see every day. Whether that's writing down your goals in a cool way on some paper and hanging in your room or making a reminder that's on your phone or laptop and seeing it every day so you don't "forget" them this time. If you see it written somewhere every single day, you're more likely to just do it and say, "Yeah. That's right, I did it."
So stop sitting around and waiting for something to happen. Get up and go do it! My favorite quote for this subject is this: "Yesterday you said tomorrow." -Unknown.
So, what are your New Years Resolutions for 2014? Let me know in the comments below because I'm really interested to see what you're all working towards this year! I hope you all have an incredible year and take advantage of every opportunity given to you!
xx, Rachel
-PS: I include my social media links underneath the heart so you can talk to me whenever you want! Maybe keep me posted on your New Years resolutions! I'm all about encouraging each other! :)
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Hello, Rachel. My new year resolution is to be more confident in my abilities in gymnastics because I believe this will help me achieve higher goals that I have set for myself.
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