Why I Ditched New Year’s Resolutions

At the end of every year, most people scramble to jot down a list of things they want to complete in the New Year. While many are creating a fresh list of ‘resolutions’, many simply transfer what they did not accomplish in the previous year and in my view, the latter is more common than not. Frankly, gyms depend on it. They know very well that all the calories packed on during the holidays sets the stage for a successful marketing campaign for “A New Year, A New You”.

The following shows how many of these resolutions are maintained as time goes on:

- past the first week: 75%

- past 2 weeks: 71%

- after one month: 64%

- after 6 months: 46%

Source: ProactiveChange.com

I ditched resolutions. Several different sources report that many resolutions fade away as the year progresses. I would consider myself a goal-oriented person and begin to think about the reality that most resolutions simply don’t survive the New Year-entirely. Around 2007, I began establishing my goals for the year and along with them, a theme to set the tone for the year.

Previous Themes:

2007: Growth, 2008: Rebuilding, 2009: Faith, 2010: Consistency

My theme for 2011 is Expansion and my mission statement is as follows: Seek to expand personally, spiritually, financially and professionally. Establish myself as a person who is a community builder with integrity and advocates sustainability.

Think of it this way, if your goal is to lose 50 pounds and you weigh 150 pounds, instead of resolving to lose 50 pounds, establish a theme for a healthy lifestyle. I’m of the opinion, establishing a theme triggers something on a subconscious level and guides all of your goals. Once you have resolved your resolution, then what?

I’m so optimistic about 2011 and believe it will be a turning point in our world’s history. Ideally, my theme could fit nicely into the worldview as well. Everyone wants to see the economy expand and be robust; small businesses want to rehire furloughed workers and expand product lines. The list could go on. Insanity is defined as doing the exact same thing expecting a different result. If you’ve been on the resolution roller coaster, I challenge you to try setting a theme for your year.

Happy New Year, let’s expand together!

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Yahya E. B. Henry, Social Media Chair

socialmedia@ypaugusta.com

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