New Years is one of the few Big Markers of Time™ that we can use to measure where we are; our progress as people can be shown over time thanks to each new year that passes. Sure, we could use months, but what's one January to the following February when you could use 12 whole months of progress to show you've developed as a person?
Except, why are you measuring that by years?
Now, that's not to say you haven't changed and grown as a person. A year is a long time. I'm almost certain you've progressed in some way. Whether it's personal growth, educational development, health, work or hobby related, I can say with absolute confidence you have changed as a person.
I just don't think it took you a whole year to do it. I think you did it every single day of that year. I think it took loads of tiny steps and seemingly small decisions to change you.
And I'm all for celebrating progress or change, and setting a date to measure that change from can be good. But I don't think New Years Day is the measuring point you should choose.
With the whole world telling you that you have the ability to change, it seems like the start of the year is the perfect, most motivating time to start doing something. Buuuuut, if, like me, you're one of those contrary people who is happy to do something until someone tells you to, it's kind of just annoying. It feels a lot like the world is trying to hold me to their standards. Telling me to change something about myself just because it's the new year isn't all that motivating for me...even when no one is actually telling me I need to.
Being Held Accountable
For me, deciding to change something or do something new is about motivating myself to do it daily. By being dramatic and announcing it to the world, I don't respond well when I don't reach the goal I set myself. I'm not sure how clear that is...let's try this:
If you tell your best friend you're going to do something - climb a mountain, write a book, finish a crossword - your friend will probably check in with you periodically (if they're a good friend, anyway). Your friend is holding you accountable. That can be super motivating. For many people, including myself, it's great to have someone checking in.
Until I fail at it. Until I don't reach my self-imposed goal. Because then I have to tell someone I failed and for me, that's the worst thing I could do.
Now, failure is NOT A BAD THING. It really isn't, I encourage you to fail. But, well...
For me, New Years is a lot of pressure to a) have a worthwhile goal and b) succeed at it.
Waning Interest
The other reason I don't like New Years Resolutions is because there are only two times of year anyone cares about them:
1. The start of a new year
2. The end of that year
For the first month, it's great. People are happy to commit for a month. (See Dry January and Veganuary.) But after that? People tend to lose interest until the end of the year when they suddenly realise they haven't completed their resolution. Depending on what research you look at, between 80% and 90% of people fail to keep their resolutions, with most giving up by February.
Competition
The final reason I dislike New Years Resolutions: I don't like feeling like it's a competition. Resolutions are intended for self-improvement, but when everyone wants to do that and share their experiences at the same time, I feel like it can very easily fall into feeling like a competition. There's a fine line between sharing experiences in order to motivate and making it feel competitive. And I am not here for competition.
I guess this has been a kind of negative look at resolutions. That's just my outlook though. For me, New Years is a bad time to decide to change yourself/try something new/give something up/etc.
Or maybe, in writing this, I've simply highlighted a lot of my own insecurities and things I do need to work on this year...so that's given me something to think about.
What I really want to emphasise, though, is that it's never the wrong time to make a change. Don't wait for a New Year or a new month or even a new week. Just start.
Or, in the words of inspiration to us all, Shia LaBeouf...
Catch you next time guys, hopefully with something a little more light-hearted.
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