Come January and all of us are drafting or already into our New Year’s resolutions. Resolutions are typically seen as a fresh start and goal setting to achieve self-improvement, January, the first month of every year is filled with a vibe of excitement, motivation and enthusiasm. Look around and you will find bustling gyms and parks with morning walkers. Planners are bought, to-do lists are filled, and schedules are maintained with diligence but not for long. The enthusiasm fizzles out within a month, revealing several studies. Unrealistic expectations, absence of accountability and instant gratification pose hindrances in the way of following up the resolutions sincerely.
Resolutions are a careful addition to life
Prachi Raturi Mishra (47-year-old) says making resolutions work but whether or not achievable depends on how realistic they are. “Resolutions work. They help us start a new year on a good note and something to look forward to. But it should be like a gentle nudge to set you on the right path but not pushing yourself too hard. I have been trying to do a to-do list every year and it has improved over the years. I follow it a few days and then I miss it but then I come back to it. So resolution making should be gentle and kind,” says Noida-based author and journalist.
Not just the approach, but her goals altogether have changed with age. “Earlier they were about losing weight, looking a certain kind. Now it’s about practising yoga, gratitude, reading one book every month.”
Unrealistic expectations can vanish the goal
When people set lofty goals like losing significant weight or committing to daily exercise, within a short span of time, motivation starts to wane. Erratic work schedules, energy and mood levels make it difficult to follow the plan every single day. Noida-based wellness coach and healer Denzil O’Connell runs a Sankalpa Workshop to help people make resolutions and work towards keeping those resolutions.
The usual rhetoric
“People are so hard on themselves while making resolutions. For instance, I will leave sugar from January 1 but it doesn’t work that way. You need to take baby steps. You bring that 1 tsp of sugar in tea to ½ tsp for 15 days and gradually give it up completely. If you crave a sweet every day, then reduce it to half and gradually bring it to a bite but you can’t do it suddenly, all at once. Why resolutions break because they are according to me done superficially and are not practical,” says Denzil.
Across the globe
For London-based artist Furrah Syed January is rightly synonymous with resolutions. According to her resolutions give a sense of purpose and something to look forward to. “As it is the start of a new year we do feel it’s a duty to know what is going to happen over the next 12 months. We are also surrounded by the pressure of New Year resolutions from others and various media platforms,” says Furrah, who as an art educator works with specially abled people. She makes resolutions every year of which 70% are followed diligently.
“Mostly they relate to self-care and work-related routines. I am a firm advocate for taking time out to do things like practice meditation using art, engaging in advanced pranic healing (healing with colour energy), walking in nature, having time with loved ones, laughter and empowering others. Regarding work-related resolutions; I set up my goals for the year and journaling tasks with a timeline for getting them done. Each year is varying on how many things happen that sometimes make you stop everything in life. One then needs to reset and carry on.”
It’s a trial and error process over time
Furrah feels the way to follow resolutions is to limit the list and not overload the schedules. “Unexpected things always happen in life that then results in us being in ‘overwhelm mode’ with work and tasks not given the time we thought we had,” she adds.
She also advises reviewing each month how the goals are progressing and adjusting accordingly. “There is only a certain amount of energy that we have within us. It is important to prioritise the protection of our precious time on this planet to make the most out of every day.”
In the end
When completed, gives a great deal of satisfaction and motivates us to go for another one. Those achievements must be celebrated. So as you draw out a list of New Year’s resolutions, here are a few things to remember. Keep them simple and sustainable. Give yourself a gentle nudge and not a hard push. If you skip something don’t beat yourself, reset and resume.
Understand that daily routines may interfere with your desired goals. Social support – like a group of badminton lovers can encourage each other to come out and play badminton or gym buddies can encourage working out together. New Year’s resolutions can be an effective catalyst for change depending on their nature and approach taken.
(Some names have been changed to protect privacy)
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