New Year Resolution Nightmare

By Manzi Prince Mugisha

It is a new year. With a New Year come New Year's resolutions. Even one who doesn't set New Year resolutions feels guilty because, one way or another, you know that with a new year, there ought to be some changes in your life. The irony is that the spirit individuals set their New Year resolutions with only continues past January, latest mid-February. Majority set goals around the same field - hitting the gym and working out, spending less and saving more, spending more time with family and friends, and so on. There is nothing wrong with setting these goals. In fact, it shows that as a human being, you want to progress in life, which is positive.

A couple of setbacks hinder us from achieving the goals we set for every New Year. Firstly, we acknowledge all we want to improve and ignore what we have already achieved. I will give a simple instance of working out. If you are to set a New Year resolution of visiting the gym, then you have visited it before. Think of how you felt after working out and forget about the six-pack ab you want to get in one month. Yes, you were tired, but I am sure you felt relieved and fresh. You got home, took a shower, and felt like you were ready to take the next day full force (I speak from experience). Now use that positive energy you got from that experience and let it motivate you.

Secondly, people tend to set their goals as long-term. I am going to give two instances and after reading them, think of the differences between them;

I will pay for a monthly subscription at the local gym and work out my abdominals to have a six-pack ab by the end of April.

This goal has most attributes of a SMART goal. It is specific – working out abdominals; achievable – that is, if you work out for 5 hours endlessly every day; realistic – I hope no gym experts read my articles; and time-bound; this will be roughly in a 3-month period. Let's move on to instance two.

I will take 20 minutes daily after work to do 20 sit-ups and leg raises.

I mean, the second one seems vague, right? Who would even set that? It has many loopholes if you ask me. Trust me; it will be the one that will be easier to maintain compared to the first. Why do I say this? The first goal focuses on the long-term end result, and it highlights it. The latter is short-term, and it has been proved that it is always better to take short steps to help you achieve your end goal.

Lastly, have someone you are accountable to. When you set your New Year resolutions, share them with a close and trusted friend and family member who will hold you accountable as the year progresses.

In conclusion, start on your New Year resolutions for those reading this who still need to do so. When you do it, however, keep the above points in mind. Set them for every aspect of your life, social, economic, and spiritual. Keep a positive attitude towards it too. Don't make it seem like you are ashamed because you always fail to achieve them. Know that thinking about it in the first place is a great attitude in itself. Take your time as well. You won't sit in one go and have them all down. Ideas may come along the way, and adding them to your list is fine. Just make sure that you follow up continuously, and what you will have achieved will make you proud, even before the year ends.

Reference list;

Kirezi, Precious. “New Year, New Me? Or Is It Just the Calendar Changing?” The New Times, 1 Jan. 2023, www.newtimes.co.rw/article/3974/lifestyle/people/new-year-new-me-or-is-it-just-the-calendar-changing. Accessed 3 Jan. 2023.