Promises!

So, it’s a New Year! After partying hard on the 31st, some of you may have sat down on the 1st and made a list in your head of things that are going to be different this year. “I will never drink again” is one of the most common on this particular day. But such sweeping resolutions are almost impossible to maintain. As it’s often said, ‘New Year Resolutions go in through one year and out through the other.’ How does one make resolutions that can be kept and make a real difference? We find that keeping your resolutions follow the same principles of sticking to a diet. Try these out for size:

Keep your resolutions simple
‘Exercise every day’ is not a resolution that one can feasibly keep. Make your resolutions manageable and in line with your current lifestyle and don’t aim to make drastic changes. For instance, maintain a healthy lifestyle is an easier resolution to keep than to exercise every day, and it gives you some leeway to indulge once in a while!

Don’t try to change your personality traits
‘Be calm’ was a resolution made on the New Year by a hyperactive and excitable teenager, Shonali Shikhle. Clearly, she was doomed to fail from the start. You have got to work with what you’ve got since personality transplants are not possible yet. Keep your limitations in mind as you think of a resolution that will allow you to go with the flow. Swati Kamdar says, “I made a resolution to go to a new place every year about eight years ago; and that’s one resolution I have stuck to!”

Motivate yourself
Whether you are trying to quit smoking or lose a few kilos, it’s important to keep yourself motivated enough to keep working at it. Find a support group or friends with the same goals who can sympathise and push you to keep on track. Remind yourself daily with posters, desktop wallpapers and notes in your diary of your achievements and the goals you have set out for yourself.

Make each day count
The New Year will pass quickly, but you have to make each day after that count! Resolutions taken at the start of the New Year are often short-lived since once daily life resumes, one forgets the excitement and positivity of the New Year. Nikhat Khan says, “I stopped making New Year resolutions because I ended up breaking them the very next day. I decided to grow up and take each day as it comes. That holds a promise for a better tomorrow.” Remember to make small changes, a day at a time, to make a lasting difference!

Volume 1 Issue 7