I’ve Changed My Mind on New Year’s Resolutions Thanks to a Co-Worker

I've thought New Year's resolutions have been nothing more than empty promises for decades. Because in many cases that's what they are. Until I saw a post from one of my co-workers that changed my mind.

If you work out, you dread heading to the gym in January and February. Because that's the time everyone who made a resolution to work out is in the gym cycling, treadmilling, and using the machines. Don't worry, by St. Patrick's Day most of those faces will be a distant memory and it won't be hard to get your 30 minutes on the treadmill. And that's just one example.

So many years ago I stopped coming up with that one thing I was going to do better. Or that bad habit to quit. Or whatever. Because truly making a change is difficult. And coming up with that change while lifting a glass of champagne right before midnight. Or just having that thing to tell someone when they asked about your New Year's resolution seemed stupid.

So I was scrolling by my co-worker Ariana's Facebook page when I saw her post about New Year's resolutions. She wrote:

I'm a big fan of New Year's resolutions, not because I believe I will keep each and every one of them, but because I believe in writing down how you want to better yourself in the next year and meaning it. You may not achieve them all, but if you achieve just one thing that you set out to 365 days ago, you've done amazing. Who cares if it's cliche to write them down around a holiday? It's about YOU and your personal growth.

While I don't believe in that one New Year's resolution thought up around midnight. I do buy into personal growth. And I do buy into writing down your goals. And I bought into what Ariana wrote. It just makes sense.

So just after the clock struck midnight on New Year's and I was listening to a Sade record I sat down with my hardcover 2022 diary, which I will mainly use for my daily work to-do lists and notes. I created a list of goals I'd like to accomplish in 2022. There are certainly some work goals. But also some personal goals. And some relationship goals. Right there on the first page.

The point isn't to accomplish them all perfectly, but if I achieve a couple of them. Maybe one of them. If I do that, it'll be a success.