23 Responses to How Do You Feel About New Year's Resolutions?

1. Melissa, on December 31st, 2008 at 5:57 pm Said:

   I’m a reach for the stars and you might land on the moon type of person. I do make a large list of resolutions with the expectation that I probably won’t do them all. I do try. I just also try not to beat myself up if I don’t reach them. Then again, I’m a chronic list maker with a long bucket list that I check every once in a while. I have a tendency to get into “ruts” if I don’t. I’m sort of in one now. feh.
2. Wendy Withers, on December 31st, 2008 at 7:58 pm Said:

   I think resolutions are a good way to set goals for yourself. However, I don’t think most people set realistic resolutions. It’s all “I’ll lose five dress sizes this year,” or “I’ll quit smoking cold turkey.” I’d rather see people resolve to cut down their red meat intake or eat more green vegetables than try to change their entire lives because it’s a new year. I’ve got my resolutions on my blog, and none of them center around losing pounds. Instead, they center around what would make me happiest in the new year. I think doing some inner work and figuring out what would make each of us happy then working to change the things that don’t is the best way to greet New Year’s Day.
3. pyewacket, on January 1st, 2009 at 8:20 am Said:

   I have to look hard at goals that I want to do, not just ones that I think I should do. Part of wanting to do something is weighing the risk/benefits of: How Happy Will I Be to Accomplish This versus How Nuts Will the Effort Make Me.

   So, for example, I can resolve to strengthen my muscles by weightlifting once a week. That’s it. I don’t particularly like lifting, so I’m not going to pledge to do it 3x a week, just once. I’ll still gain strength and endurance, just slower, and at the end of the year I’ll be stronger but not burnt out.

   I will not resolve to diet in any way shape or form, because it makes me miserable, and I always gain any lost weight back anyway.

   So seriously, what do you WANT to do? Why are you resolving to take vitamins? Because you “should?” I’m doing it because I’m noticeably more tired if I don’t, and I prefer the energy.

   Motivation matters. Resolve to do things that will PLEASE you, not just that “are good for you.” Mental health is important too!
4. neca, on January 1st, 2009 at 10:24 am Said:

   Funny, I just wrote a post about this on my blog! :-)

   I think people get confused about what a resolution is. If it’s a goal, and you have a plan to obtain it, and have set your priorities appropriately, then you’re probably going to succeed – or at least make progress in that direction.

   If your resolution is more along the lines of a fantasy/ dream, then probably not so much. I think a lot of resolutions are really this sort – sure, it sounds great, but you have no realistic idea of what it will take to achieve it. And if it isn’t something that’s going to genuinely make you happy, then you aren’t likely to make it a priority.

   My main goal for the year is to improve my attitude – I had a kinda crappy attitude in 2008, and really, I’m the one it hurts the most.
5. Aurora Erratic, on January 1st, 2009 at 10:30 am Said:

   I am a big fan of New Year’s resolutions _ I think it gives you a natural place to assess your life, where it is and where you’d like it to go. That way you are steering instead of just meandering. Most resolutions fail because they are too vague (I’m going to get healthier!), goal-oriented (I’m going to lose five pounds) instead of behavior-oriented (I’m going to get to the gym three times at week), or the maker isn’t really committed to them (I’m going to stop swearing!…Really, who cares?)
   So, my resolutions are:
   • Get a half hour of focused exercise every day;
   • Do something every day to grow my business;
   Hmmm, it seems like there ought to be three for neatness sake…Hmmm, how about, pay more than the minimum on my credit card, every month? Sounds good.
6. jazzy, on January 1st, 2009 at 11:27 am Said:

   I used to hate resolutions, but now that I see them as a chance to do things *I* want instead of a chance to be a “better person” by some outside standard (which I think is how most people view them these days) I find them useful. The closest thing to a HAES-based resolution I’ve made is to start bringing my own lunch to work, and that’s really more of a money thing, and an “I work in a school and cafeteria food is ass” thing. Actually I suppose my main resolution – to be more assertive and get out of the house more – is a mental health one. I wish more people thought of making those! (Though exercise can be one too, depending on why someone is exercising.)
7. Twistie, on January 1st, 2009 at 11:39 am Said:

   I tend to think that resolutions are better and more likely to be acheived if they come about organically rather than ‘Oh, crap! It’s almost January! I’d better resolve something!’

   That said, I did make a couple of resolutions this year, mostly having to do with excising negative food talk from my life as entirely as possible and finding a form of exercise that will make me feel good inside and out. I’ve been terribly sedentary lately and I’m feeling it in ways I’m not enjoying. Basically, these are New Years’ resolutions because I noticed problems in December and didn’t really have the means to do much about the exercise one until the post-holiday period.

   Resolutions aren’t just for January. They can happen at any time of the year. I tend to have more trust in the ones that aren’t based around an arbitrary date on the calendar, but on a true recognition that something in one’s life needs changing.
8. Alyssa, on January 1st, 2009 at 12:48 pm Said:

   I totally agree with Twistie: resolutions aren’t just for New Year’s, and they tend to stick more when they are made from a true desire to change, rather than something we feel we “should” do because it’s that time of year again.
   Actually, a resolution I made a few months ago is to NOT use the word “Should.” Over the past couple of years I find myself making gradual changes, which has worked a lot better for me than trying to do it all at once.
   I work at a gym, and EVERY year we see the resolutions start, then fall away. Because people get gung-ho, overdo it, and then quit.
9. mccn, on January 2nd, 2009 at 9:39 am Said:

   Mo, thanks so much for the good perspective. I’ve never really figured out what to do with New Year’s resolutions before – but I like the idea of “plan to exercise more” and “keep track of how often I go to the gym” – those are low pressure steps I can take to live and feel better without feeling overwhelmed!

   I used to switch between never making resolutions or making huge ones (“I will eat no sugar at all this year!”) and either way felt bummed. This is a good strategy for me!

   I suppose I could also resolve to play less hours of “Rayman Raving Rabbids” on the Wii, but I don’t think I’m particularly interested in that one. ..
10. Jac, on January 2nd, 2009 at 10:08 am Said:

    I did make a list of “goals” (I wouldn’t call them resolutions) for the year. I didn’t specifically say “lose weight” though. However, to do a few of them, I would need to lose weight.

    In the past, I’ve never really set resolutions either… I think too many people place too much emphasis on that really.

    So really, my hope is to just get a bit healthier in 2009.
11. bethany, on January 2nd, 2009 at 12:43 pm Said:

    Like some of the other posters, I also see this as a chance to gradually shift things around in my life. Last year my goal was to take more fashion risks, to climb to the top of this mountain near my house (3 miles to the top), and to spend more time with my mom. These were all accomplished, and resulted in gradual shifts into new directions.

    This year, I want to incorporate more beans into my diet (they are a healthy, more environmentally conscious, cheaper source of nutrition) and I want to stop dating guys who are kind of a-holes. I guess these are kind of very specifically tailored to me… But I do think they are for my overall health!! :)
12. Pattie, on January 2nd, 2009 at 1:03 pm Said:

    I made a resolution several years ago to never make a New Year’s Resolution. It’s the only one I’ve ever managed to keep.

    I think too many people wait until the beginning of the new year to decide to make any changes, then they don’t bother to follow through, and by May or June they have given up completely and then wait again until Jan 1 to do anything. It’s all big plans and then nothing happens.

    You can resolve to make a change anytime of the year. Why put it off until the year changes? If you want to change something, change it. Don’t wait until the rest of the world decides to make changes.
13. Cindy, on January 2nd, 2009 at 2:10 pm Said:

    I have almost always made them.

    Can’t say that I’ve ever kept them forever.

    If I have any goal this year, it’s to spend more time and creativity on my relationship. I’m hoping to do a few, simple low-pressure ways to help make that happen.
14. FatNsassy, on January 2nd, 2009 at 5:49 pm Said:

    I am not making any health based resolutions this year. My only resolution is to save money. Given that in 3 months I will probably lose my job and only heaven knows where I may end up, I could care less about adding a few years to my life. Sadly, it is only my bank account that matters now!
15. Andrea (Off Her Cork), on January 3rd, 2009 at 11:19 am Said:

    Before I never really made resolutions because I never thought they were worth it. This year I have changed. In 2008 I did a lifestyle change, I started eating more fruits and veggies, I became a runner, and I dropped 25lbs. So for ’09 I have “goals” because if I can do all that stuff I feel like I can do anything! :D So yes I have lots of goals for this year and I’m hoping to accomplish them all!
16. CindyS, on January 3rd, 2009 at 11:22 am Said:

    I don’t do resolutions; haven’t for some years now. Instead, I choose a theme for the year which represents some area of my life that I want to focus on. Since September 2007 I’ve been on a journey for increased health and fitness, and I am using the “clean start” of a new year to rededicated myself to that and to re-examine what’s working, what’s not, what needs to be let go and what needs to be refreshed. This approach works well for me as the goals grow organically out of the theme, without added pressure to check them off my long, long list of things to do. :)
17. Jackie, on January 4th, 2009 at 10:02 am Said:

    Well my resolution is to Wii-cercise more. Cause I know I need to exercise more, yet I’m a gaming nerd. Thank goodness Nintendo was smart enough to come up with a happy medium between the two.

    That and I have yet to really get anywhere in that new Raving Rabbids TV Party game.
18. Ana, on January 4th, 2009 at 4:04 pm Said:

    Today I went to the gym— and they have a total of 30 treadmills— every one of them was taken– I HATE that ! I can’t wait until mid February when everyone jumps off the resolution trek

    I used to always resolve to lose weight– it’s basically what I wanted my entire life– but resolving to do something doesn’t mean squat– so I oppose resolutions– I don’t need a new year to motivate me to do the right thing— I do it because I know I need to and I want to improve my life

    I LOVE your blog! keep up the good work!– come over and check mine out– I just started it yesterday! :o)

    http://two81.blogspot.com/

    Ana
19. BigGirl, on January 5th, 2009 at 2:16 pm Said:

    Maybe resolutions should guidelines and not rules that way there is a bit more flexability. Mine would be to have more patience. Wish me luck with that!
20. Rachie, on January 5th, 2009 at 5:42 pm Said:

    I have goals, not resolutions, because everybody knows that resolutions only hold until the middle of February. :) My goals for 2009 are to:

    drink 24 oz water/day (that’s 24 oz more than I was drinking)
    limit Diet Coke intake to 12-24 oz/day (that’s about 80 oz less than I was drinking)
    brush teeth morning and night
    walk on the treadmill four times a week for thirty minutes

    (I’m trying to trick my body into losing weight without dieting. Shhh–don’t tell her!)
21. Colette, on January 5th, 2009 at 7:13 pm Said:

    I don’t usually make New Year’s resolutions (although last year was an exception – I did something new every day). I do think that the key is to keep trying – if you don’t do what you wanted to do one day, start over the next day.

    I have to say, though, that I’m looking forward to the traffic at the gym dying down (not that I’ve made it there this year).
22. Alice, on January 8th, 2009 at 1:47 pm Said:

    MANY good points above. I think a lot of it depends on whether you’re the type of person who gets jazzed by checking things off of a list, or who gets demoralized if every item can’t be checked off. If you’re the former, then making a lot of resolutions is great (so long as they’re the attainable behavior kind, rather than the unattainable goal kind). If you’re the latter, then having three well-thought out resolutions is probably a better way to go, if you want to do it at all.

    For me, I like making changes throughout the year, and Jan 1 is a good time to take some stock of things when there’s a cultural reminder to pay attention. Years ago, I did the ‘I will lose weight!’ kinds of resolutions, and they always failed. Shocker, huh?

    This year I’m sticking a toe back in, but it’s more a continuation of what I’ve been doing through the year – stating my intentions to keep on doing the things that have been working (exercising and thanking god for the EW fitness challenges that are keeping me accountable, taking vitamins, trying to be more aware of my body) while avoiding things that don’t (eating ‘convenient’ food that makes my body miserable, ignoring my body’s signals that it’s tired/bored/hungry/etc.)

    Without this post, I don’t know if I would have listed them all out like that – it’s good to name them so specifically, since it reminds me to actually *do* them!
23. Nomie, on January 10th, 2009 at 11:04 am Said:

    My resolution was health-at-any-size-based, and also included mental health. It’s just to move more. I mean, part of it is that I miss being in shape – fat but in shape, not out of breath when I go for a short walk. But the other part is that this past year I moved back home with my parents and haven’t even managed to get a job yet. Me and millions of others, I know, but I miss having independence and the ability to do things like go visit friends or travel. So I’m working on both of those this year.

Subscribe to the comments for this post (RSS)