New Year’s Resolutions – Why I’m Skipping them 2021

The start of a New Year often triggers both reflection and resolution in people. At the beginning of 2020, people were saying “this is going to be my year” and then the world was turned upside down. I think that it is time that we turn many of our traditions upside down as well, including the tradition of New Year’s resolution.

New Year’s Resolutions

How many times have you made a New Year’s resolution just to drop it in a few months. Maybe you spent a bunch of money on a new craft to learn or a gym membership, just to push it to the side when February comes. The shelves in the stores are filled with protein drinks and energy bars to fuel the next few months of determination as we set out to do better. Each year, we tell ourselves that this will be different. Each year, the same thing happens. So, why do we bother with the whole tradition at all?

Instead of making resolutions, I encourage you to just try and be a little better. Try to do a little better. Instead of using the New Year as a time to look forward toward the person you want to be, take the time to reflect and look back on who you have been. The best of intentions can only go so far if we don’t look at our actions.

Who were you for the last year? What did you do and what can you improve?

Last New Year’s Goals

Instead of resolutions, last year I set some very attainable goals that were designed to help me achieve better mental and physical health for myself and my family. My three goals all revolved around the outdoors and I wrote monthly updates to keep me on track.

Read more about the beginning of that journey here.

I met each goal I had made in 2020:

I walked the year in miles.
My kids were outside for an average of 1 hour or more per day.
We completed 52 hikes in the year plus some!

I am so proud of myself and my family for achieving these goals and hope to continue the lifestyle that they created for us. It was through these goals that we became an adventure family and I absolutely love that part of who we are.

Areas I Can Improve

2020 was an impossible year for socialization. I would want to reach out to another family but then my more rational brain would kick in. We had to stay away from each other for most of the year. In 2021, I want to make the effort to cultivate friendships and be more social. This is for the benefit of my kids and us adults. One thing that 2020 taught us is that humans are social beings. We crave interaction with each other and yet over the past year, our social skills declined. I know that is an area in which we could improve and I want to work on being a better friend in 2021.

I want to be of service. When reflecting on myself for the past year, I saw a desire to get involved. There was a spark that I had once felt as a kid to work to make a difference. Then, my 2-year-old would climb on my head as my 4-year-old complained for the 276491734th time that he was hungry and my thoughts of volunteer work would get suppressed. If there is one way I can improve myself in the New Year it is to be of service to my community and it is my intention to do so.

How to Apply This to the New Year

After reflecting on who I’ve been and reminding myself of who I want to be, it is time to just keep living. There are no huge changes in behavior around the New Year. It is just ridiculous to think that major life changes can just happen by sheer force of will. This is an unsustainable way to achieve a long term goal. You need to start small. Make smart decisions that will lead you in the direction you want.

If kindness is your goal, start by holding the door for people. Smile at them and these simple acts of kindness will snowball into a way of living.

Want to live a healthier life? Start by choosing water over soda or grab some nuts to snack on instead of chips. Stand up and march in place while watching tv instead of sitting on the couch.

Looking to get outside more? Start with an hour a day.

The point is to make small adjustments in the way you are living your life to slowly work toward the life you want. Changes like these don’t happen overnight when the calendar turns to a new year. It takes time and patience. So cut yourself some slack and ditch the New Year’s resolutions this year. I know I will be!