New Year’s Resolutions By Addison Caddell

With the mark of the new year, many people set new goals to try and practice throughout 2024. The practice of resolutions started over 4,000 years ago and was first introduced as a pledge to the church to give throughout the year. In modern times they can range from deciding to lose weight, eat healthily, travel more, start a new hobby and the list goes on.

However, keeping these resolutions is a very hard task that requires serious determination and time. Studies say that only eight percent of people stick to their goal after one month, and most give up their goal after just one week.

If you a determined to keep your goal this year here are some ways that make such a big dedication seem doable. First, start by picking just one goal; if you can prove to yourself that you can keep at one goal then the rest will follow suit. Pick the one that you are most passionate about and create a realistic and specific plan on how you are going to reach it. Most people fail because they think too big a picture and try to do too much at once which will result in burnout.

Second, big goals require responsibility. A great idea would be to have an accountability partner; a friend, family member, loved one, etc.; this person will provide reminders and support to help you stay on the right path toward your goal.

Finally, it takes ninety days to create a long-term habit. Creating these habits is not easy so keeping a journal log of your goals will not only show your progress but serve as a mental checkpoint for working toward the resolution every day.

New Year’s resolutions can create a positive outlook on the upcoming year and can lead to great progress psychologically, emotionally, socially, physically, or intellectually depending on your chosen goal. Resolutions are not always easy to keep but when they are kept can be extremely fulfilling for anyone who puts in the work to make their goals reality.