I wonder how many of us have ever made New Year resolutions – I have! When I was young(er) with my group of friends, every year we would make resolutions and before long they were broken or worse forgotten about.
My repeated resolution was to grow long fingernails and paint them in brightly coloured nail polish. Did I achieve that goal? NO! There were so many things to be anxious about and biting my fingernails was handy! Decades later I’ve achieved it – even though I have bigger things to worry about.
I was reading a survey recently and it said that, of the people surveyed, 85% of resolutions made were forgotten about within one month, and 20% within a year. So maybe instead of making resolutions – setting ourselves up to fail – we could make a simple pledge to do something easy and achievable, it could be something we already do – like making the bed each day; then we can feel good for a little while – and know that we have not failed.
I recently canvassed family members for their thoughts on the subject of resolutions. Did they make any? Have they ever done so? And as you would expect it was a mixture.
One person who sees themselves as mostly negative and has ‘a glass half empty personality’ wished to see the positive in more things and situations. Another plan to add more colour to their wardrobe, currently it’s all black, white and grey; then another said they would probably make a resolution but not follow through. One of the canvassed told how they made a resolution to keep a diary/journal back in 1964, stuck to it, and continues today!!
If you are not in the least bit interested in making New Year Resolutions here is a recipe for a happy new year: “Take 12 fine full grown months. See that these are thoroughly free from old memories of bitterness, rancour and hate. Cleanse them completely from every clinging spite; pick off all the specks of pettiness and littleness. In short see that these months are freed from all the past – have them fresh, clean as when they first came into the great storehouse of time. Cut these months into thirty or so equal parts. Do not attempt to make up the whole batch at once (so many people spoil the entire lot this way), but, instead, prepare one day at a time.
In each day put equal parts of faith, patience, courage, work (some people omit this vital ingredient and spoil the flavour of the whole); hope, fidelity, liberality, kindness, rest – you must rest – leaving this one out is like omitting the oil from the salad dressing – don’t do it), prayer, meditation and one well selected resolution. Put in one teaspoon of good spirits, a beakerful of fun, a pinch of folly, a sparkling play and a heaped cupful of good humour. Mix it all together and vwollah”!
Or you could just scrap the resolution and be kind to yourself. In other words do less be more. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL.
By Paulette Reed