January always brings up the whole New Year’s resolution business – a promise to change our behavior. As I thought about resolution ideas, I found myself getting cranky. Resolving to do anything besides making it through the day in the darkest and coldest time of the year is insanity. The last thing I will do in January is throw away the remaining Christmas cookies or go out in the cold to exercise more. The failure rate of New Year’s resolutions is 80%. Eighty percent! Why would we set ourselves up for failure only to feel worse about ourselves? Yet, it comes up every year: we are asked to set a goal we almost certainly will not achieve.
That is not to say we shouldn’t set goals that will help us prosper, live longer, and enjoy those longer lives. I propose we hold off on making promises to ourselves until the sun is higher in the sky and we aren’t so cranky to increase our chance of success. “Fourth Month of the Year’s Resolution” doesn’t roll off the tongue quite as neatly as “New Year’s resolution”, but I can live with that.
A New New Year’s Resolution
By MARY ELLEN KALUZA
January always brings up the whole New Year’s resolution business – a promise to change our behavior. As I thought about resolution ideas, I found myself getting cranky. Resolving to do anything besides making it through the day in the darkest and coldest time of the year is insanity. The last thing I will do in January is throw away the remaining Christmas cookies or go out in the cold to exercise more. The failure rate of New Year’s resolutions is 80%. Eighty percent! Why would we set ourselves up for failure only to feel worse about ourselves? Yet, it comes up every year: we are asked to set a goal we almost certainly will not achieve.
That is not to say we shouldn’t set goals that will help us prosper, live longer, and enjoy those longer lives. I propose we hold off on making promises to ourselves until the sun is higher in the sky and we aren’t so cranky to increase our chance of success. “Fourth Month of the Year’s Resolution” doesn’t roll off the tongue quite as neatly as “New Year’s resolution”, but I can live with that.
What should your Fourth Month of the Year’s resolution be?… Read the rest “A New New Year’s Resolution”