Why I Hate New Year’s Resolutions
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my Disclosure and Privacy Policy.
Now that the new year is here, it seems I’m supposed to come up with some goals for the year. Not because I’m inspired but because it a social standard to have a New Year resolution.
I think reflecting upon the past and looking for ways to improve is always a good thing, but it needs to come at a time that is right for each of us. A time where we look at what we are doing and decide it is time to make a change. That change should not be dependent upon a particular date but instead when we are truly motivated and will set a plan in motion to stick to the goal.
While I think that the new year is a logical time to do this, it has become such a social norm that many of us don’t take it seriously. (If you do, good for you!) We don’t make the effort if we came up with these resolutions because we felt it was what we were supposed to do. To have something to say when someone asks the question, “What is your New Years resolution?”
According to wikipedia.org, a 2007 study from the University of Bristol showed that 78% of people with New Year’s Resolutions failed to succeed. I can’t say I’m surprised.
Why Don’t We Accomplish our New Year’s Resolutions?
Often we don’t succeed because we set vague goals (like getting a better job or losing weight) with no actual plan to achieve them. Equally as bad, we don’t set milestones to feel accomplishment. It is much easier to say that you want to lose 5 pounds in the next month versus 30 pounds by summer. Not only does the 5 pound goal seem easier to achieve, it requires a more immediate change to meet the goal rather than one that allows us to procrastinate.
I’ll start eating right…
next week
after our vacation
when the weather is warmer
once I have more money for a gym membership
the list can go on and on. I’m guilty of this too. But that is why I’ve decided to stop the insanity of New Years resolutions. I’ll choose my goals when I’m ready to take action, not because January 1st has rolled around. If you are serious about your resolutions, come up with a real plan on how to implement them or else I have to ask you, what is the point?
My New Years resolution is to not have a resolution right now. And that is fine by me.
Sounds like a plan 🙂
I’m with you this year, not making resolutions. When I do I feel like I set myself up for failure.
My resolution is to finally take care of myself health wise and physically. I decided that in november I am done working 10-11 hour days. So my resolution is half way complete. 🙂
I do not make New Year’s resolutions.
I work on things throughout the year as they come up.
I typically don’t set New Year’s resolutions, either. I figure, if it is important enough to be a resolution, I should probably be doing it already, right?? I do set some “goals” – mainly fitness related, races I want to run or things I want to do with my family. Happy New Year, mama!
I think those are fantastic goals! Happy New Year to you too sweetie!
I all a person that always puts it off. Resolution—Not to put off things this year. I’ll start tomorrow, lol.
Peace, Love and Chocolate
Tiffany
ROFL! Exactly! 🙂
I didn’t make any either Emilie. I think things will change when I’m ready to change them 🙂
I didn’t set New Years resolutions, but I did make goals for this year.
You are so smart not to even make them, but change when you see the need. Yes, it’s a social norm and it’s crazy that 78% of resolutions don’t make it.
I’ve set some goals lately but those aren’t due to New Years but because I recently lost my job 🙁
I don’t do New Years resolutions. I stopped a long time ago. It’s just not worth it emotionally to me. I rarely follow thru and it’s too depressing when I can’t accomplish something like these. Why do we do this to ourselves? Makes so sense!
I agree completely Mimi! 🙂
I think about the past year..the good things and the not so good to see if there is something I need to give more attention to or change in the new year. Not a “resolution”…just a thoughtful reflection
I try to set really small goals that I can achieve easily. This year I picked wearing earrings more often (very easy) and being nicer to people with my words (a bit harder, but still doable). Good luck to you on your no resolutions lol
I’ve heard, (I don’t know, maybe on Oprah) that’s it’s not good to set New Year resolutions, That you are just setting yourself up for failure. I like the idea though of setting those small goals, like this week, I’ll work out 3 times, or get that closet cleaned out. That I can do.
yeah I gave up on these,never seem to finish anything
I’m trying to just REMEMBER mine, much less follow them!
I hate them too, it’s like setting myself up to fail.
I also hate new years resolutions. I don’t make them because I’ve never reached my goals!