Did you know only about 8% of people follow through on their New Year’s resolution?
New Year’s Resolution Guilt
After the holidays, that is when our guilt kicks in. We ate too much and spent too much. Bikini season is only 6 months away and it is time to replenish our bank accounts. It is a common mental note that we make to ourselves; to get back on track. So, we rush to make a New Year’s resolution.
Small Goals
Personally, I just feel good if I get all my Christmas decorations taken down before Valentine’s Day. I think of the holidays as consecutive cheat days. Our will power eventually takes a gradual U-turn, to get us back on track to eating healthier meals again. Things I have learned about myself and other people is that we are always setting small goals throughout the year. And that is how it should be. We should set our goals when we are mentally, physically, and realistically ready. There is no need to follow a certain date criteria because tradition says so.
It Has Already Been a Stressful Season
Let us stop putting so much pressure on ourselves. Why do we decide after January 1st we must go on a diet or join a gym? That is a lot of unnecessary stress to add on to yourself. Keep in mind you have cooked and slaved over the stove making multiple lavish holiday feast for your friends, family, and coworkers. For the last several months, we’ve been digging out your favorite holiday cookie recipe, so you can spread joy to everyone that is around you. As much joy that we can find from this, it can also be very tiring.
Plus, there’s shopping, wrapping gifts and decorating. We end up burning out. We have added so many more additional responsibilities onto our plate that we are not used to doing the rest of the year.
A Different Resolution
How about the week after Christmas we make a resolution to relax? Truly enjoy family time. There is no need to rush to make the house look normal again. Take your time taking down the decorations. It was you that worked so hard to put them up in the first place. It is not fair you have to wait another 11 months before you can admire all your cheery, holiday work again. Let us try to focus more on self-care and keep in mind that rushing just adds more stress. Let’s tell ourselves this year we don’t have to make a New Year’s resolution
On that note…I wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year and a better you.
