KatieZinna

Whether it’s a list in your notes app, a new board on your Pinterest or a vision board made from pictures and sayings from magazines, they come in all shapes and sizes. You already know what I’m talking about: New Year’s resolutions. It’s that time of year again when people around the world come to the collective decision to plan out their year, set goals and completely reshape their lives while they’re at it, too. Everyone knows the saying, “New Year, New Me,” but no one ever talks about how difficult it is to create that “new me.” 

According to the Network survey results, about 75.6% of girls believe in setting New Year’s resolutions and believe that they are helpful with achieving any future goals. However, of all the responses on the survey, only 9.3% of Marian students actually stick with their resolutions for the entire year. This just goes to show how difficult it can be to achieve some goals, especially when many New Year’s resolutions can be a bit unrealistic. 

From completely removing sugar from your diet to learning how to speak two new languages, New Year’s resolutions can get a bit out of hand. It’s important to have goals, but creating unrealistic standards for yourself makes you prone to burning out or giving up on your new goals.

When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, consistency is key but so is starting small. To make a change in your life, you have to want it and consistently work for it. According to CBSNews.com, only about 25% of people continue to follow through with their goals after 30 days. That means millions of people around the world just give up on a goal they really want to accomplish or put a dream behind them simply because they believe that they don’t have the time, money or right mindset. 

It’s imperative to remember that you can do anything, as long as you truly want it and work for it. You don’t have to spend three hours in the gym every day or pay hundreds of dollars on language classes; you just have to start small. Start by working out 2-3 times a week or spending 5-10 minutes on a language app a day. Taking small steps and being consistent is more important than going all out for a week before giving up. Building habits is how you can accomplish your New Year’s resolutions. 

Not to sugarcoat it, but if you want to achieve that “new me,” you’re going to have to put in the time and effort. You are going to have to motivate yourself to keep going no matter how difficult it is. If you want something, make it happen. Sitting around and hoping your resolution will magically accomplish itself, won’t work out so well. It’s better to work hard now for your resolutions than to have regrets in the future.