Maybe it?s the fact that I?ve never really had a good New Year?s, being surrounded by drunk people who weren?t my family and whom I don?t particularly care for. Maybe it?s the fact that everyone feels like they have to kiss someone at midnight.Or maybe it?s the fact that everyone uses it as an excuse to get inexorably drunk. Whatever the reason, I tend to hate New Year?s.
However, this New Year?s has the potential to be the best and only good one yet. But even though I will be with friends and having fun this year, I still can?t get over the fact that mass crowds gather to watch a ball drop, get drunk and make fools of themselves, and find this as the only time they will set goals. For some reason, it has become tradition that New Year?s is a time to make resolutions. My belief is that a new year is 365 days from any day, so why have we set this one day aside as the only day we will set goals for ourselves?
Don?t get me wrong; I?m very glad that people today are still setting goals at all. However, I wonder how many objectives ever truly get accomplished.
Are people rushing around right now, along with all their holiday shopping, to finish their old New Year?s resolutions? Trying to lose those last 10 pounds in order to fulfill their promise to themselves? I doubt it.
I like deadlines, but just like many other people, I procrastinate and am more likely to forget my New Year?s resolution than anything else.
According to About.com, some of the top New Year?s resolutions are things that deal with health and fitness, such as to exercise more, quit smoking, quit drinking, etc. Others are more abstract, such as “get organized” and “enjoy life more.” Still yet there is getting out of debt, spending more time with family and friends, helping others, and learning something new.
There are even Web sites such as mygoal.com that can help you to set your goals (requires registration but gives a free trial though). I?m sure there are a plethora of other Web sites out there for free that can offer advice as well.
Whatever the case and whatever your New Year?s resolution(s) may be, don?t be afraid to set goals any other day of the year. Long term goals are difficult, especially with the everyday tasks of life (school, etc.) that have to be accomplished before giving time to something that isn?t an immediate need.
Regardless, it comes down to something that all people need to do more often: look at the big picture. There may be someone whose goal is to get a job, or to be able to make the rent every month or feed their children. It is these things that we need to remember and reflect on how fortunate we are, no matter what day of the year it is. Upon thinking of this, hopefully one of your lifetime goals is to remember this, be grateful, and help others whenever you can.