NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS AREN’T POINTLESS
By: Jackson Shields, Assistant Opinion Editor
Like clockwork, with the beginning of a new year comes a flood of new resolutions, each bearing an unspoken promise that says this year will be better than the last. Whether it be exercising more, losing weight or even picking up a new skill, it seems like most people have their sights set on something they hope to improve or change. Unfortunately, promises are easier made than kept.
It’s no secret that people struggle to keep their New Year’s resolutions, often failing to reach the overly ambitious goals they had set for themselves without seriously considering the work it would take to accomplish them. In fact, it’s so common to leave these resolutions at the door of the new year that there is an entire day in January named after it: Quitter’s Day.
With that being said, it’s easy to dismiss making resolutions as a pointless practice or throwaway promises that won’t be seriously committed to, but for some, they can be genuine ways to start the new year off right.
Around 9% of people who make New Year’s resolutions actually keep them, a staggeringly low number to be sure, but one that still accounts for thousands of people. For the many that do stick to their goals, New Year’s resolutions can be an effective way of jump-starting something they’ve always wanted to accomplish, whether it be mentally, physically or even spiritually.
Just because a small percentage of the population actually follows through with their resolutions doesn’t make them meaningless, in fact, it makes accomplishing one even more special. One might even see the associated challenge with fulfilling a New Year’s resolution as an extra incentive, a way to prove their determination and willpower.
What’s more, simply the process of forming resolutions can be beneficial, even if they do end up being left by the wayside. By analyzing what can be done to improve yourself, you’re not only being honest about your shortcomings and faults but also actively searching for methods to better them. Just the act of looking inward and challenging yourself is something we could all benefit from doing more often, so why not use the new year as the great opportunity for reflection and aspiration that it really is?
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS ARE POINTLESS
By: Emily Beebe, Opinion Editor
At the beginning of each new year many people make New Year’s resolutions – a goal or multiple goals they want to achieve during that year. Setting goals for yourself is great and something you should do. However, you should be setting goals for yourself and accomplishing those goals throughout the whole year instead of waiting until New Year’s to do it.
Most people who create resolutions do not stick to them for the whole year, therefore defeating the purpose of creating one in the first place. The average resolution tends to last for 3.74 months, while 22% of people only stick to their resolution for two months and 22% for three months, according to a Forbes survey.
Most people tend to make vague or unrealistic resolutions that lead them to give up on accomplishing their resolution. While goals such as “lose 100 pounds” or “go to sleep earlier” may be good resolutions, these are overly ambitious and vague, therefore leading to nothing but frustration. These resolutions become pointless when they are not achieved or create frustration.
The feeling of being pressured to create – and stick to – a New Year’s resolution can also create unnecessary stress. Around 62% of people feel pressured to create a New Year’s resolution, according to the same Forbes survey. If people are pressured to create a New Year’s resolution they may not want to do in the first place, it only creates a lack of commitment to actually achieve their goal.
Instead of focusing on personal growth and improvement on one specific day, we should be focusing on personal growth and improvement all of the time. Personal growth and improvement can and should begin anytime, not on one specific day.