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Promises, promises

By Lynne Bell

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听听听听听听听听听听听 Like the subject of a country song, I have left a trail of broken promises behind me. But the older, wiser me tries not to do that anymore.

听听听听听听听听听听听 Am I talking about a drama-filled life worthy of a Hollywood movie or a bestselling book? Sadly-for you, dear reader-no. Fortunately for me, my life isn't at all that compelling a story, but it's pretty happy, all the same.

听听听听听听听听听听听 What I am talking about is the laughable list of broken, busted and frankly, failed New Year's resolutions I have made over the years.

听听听听听听听听听听听 It's not that I think we shouldn't have hopes and dreams and goals. And I certainly think we should pursue things that are important to us with everything we've got. However, I'm not convinced that New Year's resolutions are the best way to go about making our desires reality-not for me, anyway.

听听听听听听听听听听听 What initially makes New Year's resolutions so tempting to try are the very things that doom many of we mere humans to failure before we even start.

听听听听听听听听听听听 And the beginning of a brand new year seems like a full-on fresh start at first, doesn't it? But in reality, although we probably think we're ready to pay penance for the excesses of the festive season, we're really setting ourselves for almost-certain failure-big time.

听听听听听听听听听听听 Instead of tackling our cash and health-related goals (two of the most popular resolution categories) with vim and vigor, we're undertaking what's probably a pretty significant lifestyle change when we're at our most exhausted-physically, mentally, emotionally and/or financially, as the post-Christmas hangover (literally and figuratively) sets in.

听听听听听听听听听听听 And if we do manage to get a jump on our goals, we will probably have a setback or two, which-because of the January 1^st factor- will prompt some of us to dump our dreams altogether-until the next year rolls around.

听听听听听听听听听听听 This would be a shame and a completely unnecessary waste of human potential. The first day of the year is logically, like any other, but it seems so arbitrary-and maybe even a little unforgiving-when it comes to the significance we attach to that particular date re: resolutions.

听听听听听听听听听听听 By its very nature, the process of change is often a case of a few steps forward and a few steps back. And even if we possess extraordinary self-discipline, life will, inevitably, get in the way of our best-laid plans.

听听听听听听听听听听听 Rather than holding ourselves to a timeline that will result in broken promises to ourselves, I think it's more helpful to look at the process of reaching our resolutions as one of progress, not perfection.

听听听听听听听听听听听 But however you tackle them, I hope your goals and dreams become your reality this year.

听听听听听听听听听听听 Happy New Year!

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A New Year a new beginning

By Kelly Running

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听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 This week Lynne and I are looking at New Year鈥檚 resolutions and as I thought about it I wondered鈥� how did this become a thing anyways?

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Looking into it, New Year鈥檚 resolutions aren鈥檛 a recent invention, which I always thought they were. I had it in my head that it was a modern world creation, picking something you want to improve in yourself and vowing to do it. In reality its roots are traced back the Babylonians who celebrated the New Year in March with an 11-day festival and making promises to their gods in hope of earning good favour that year.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 During Roman times Julius Caesar moved the first day of the year to January 1^st to honour the Roman god of beginnings, Janus 鈥� for which the month of January was named after. So, each year became a new beginning.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 It鈥檚 actually a nice sentiment, each year means we can, in a way, begin again. It鈥檚 a new year and a clean slate, so if you want to make a change in your life but have been putting it off there鈥檚 no reason not to make the resolution. Resolving to do it and sharing with others that you鈥檙e going to do it will often hold you to it. But, saying you鈥檙e going to do something and putting in the work to make it happen are very different. So making a resolution is actually a big decision.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 You can say you鈥檙e going to do something, but following through on it becomes the challenge. Therefore, making a New Year鈥檚 resolution is something anyone can say, but actually being able to do it becomes the question. So, when making a New Year鈥檚 resolution I think it鈥檚 important to set a goal that is just out of reach, but is obtainable with a little bit of work.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Last year I made a New Year鈥檚 resolution to read more, it was rather open ended, so I couldn鈥檛 really fail. All I had to do was read more than I had the year before, which wasn鈥檛 too hard because I hadn鈥檛 read much the year before but I was determined to read during downtime. I could have done better, but I find with this job I continuously look at words on a computer screen and it鈥檚 sometimes difficult to go home and read because of it. However, I thought to myself more often that I should pick up a book and I did read more this past year because of the resolution, it was on my mind.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 So, if anything making a resolution makes you think about that topic a little bit more throughout the year and if you鈥檝e gone away from it for awhile, it still pops up in your mind and you can choose to keep trying to accomplish it. For example if your goal was to go to the gym more or to lose weight, many people buy a gym membership and then let it slide to the wayside by March. Life pops up or maybe you鈥檝e hit a plateau in your work out and aren鈥檛 seeing the results you thought you should have by then. However, in June you might think, 鈥淎h, I should get to the gym or go for a walk outside.鈥� Yes, do it! It鈥檚 better to go in spurts than not do anything at all.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Last year a friend of mine made the resolution not to swear, he鈥檇 slip up and simply start again. Making a resolution though keeps you thinking about it throughout the year and with it on your mind you can create change in yourself. Learn something new, decide to become more active, or pledge to do more community service, by making it a resolution you鈥檒l hold yourself to it a little bit more throughout the year than simply saying you should do something.