Quit smoking, join the gym or learn a new language. New Year’s resolutions are a classic that is repeated every January 1 among ordinary mortals. But, despite the horde of good will that once again floods the first page of the calendar, it is likely that, after a few weeks, many of us will end up not showing up at the academy or fitness center on duty again.
What is the reason for the failure of so many purposes? Are they really useful for anything? Ian Newby-Clark, psychologist at the University of Guelph (Canada), has reflected in an article for Psychology Today about the problems for the effectiveness of this practice, which he summarizes in three reasons that we explain below.
No matter how much effort we put in, we cannot make a big personal change overnight. With the arrival of the last weeks of the year, it is common to discover that little or nothing has changed in our lives and that we are still the same person as we were 365 days ago, something that not everyone is resigned to accepting. It is in these moments of crisis that we rush to repeat, with apparent conviction, the same resolutions we made last year.
Instead of making empty promises to ourselves that will surely dissipate in the early hours of January 1, it would be best to take a reasonable amount of time to reflect on what aspects of our lives we want or need to change.
Another common aspect of these resolutions is that they are usually too ambitious. The New Year seems like an excellent opportunity to make amends and start with a clean slate. But remember that in everyday life there are many conditions that can prevent us from reaching the goal outside the agreed deadline. So, plan accordingly and think about realistic goals.
We must ask ourselves if we really need to have purposes. We may have already satisfied them all and are happy and calm with the life we ??currently lead. Or there may be things you want to accomplish, but they don’t have to be after the New Year, but when it’s time.
In short, there is nothing wrong with having New Year’s resolutions or not having them. What’s more, it takes bravery, courage and determination to accomplish them. What’s more, now that you know the risks of making hasty decisions, perhaps you can achieve a better purpose, with the time to reflect and the moderation they need… Now, or whenever.