Dear friend,
This is the time when New Year resolutions are being made. People see this event as extremely important, because it’s believed that the decisions made now will be effective throughout the next year. I know so many who create specific lists with exact dates by when will they accomplish something. However, at some point I had to ask myself one question…
Are New Year resolutions really needed?
Every time when I would make a New Year resolution, it put a tremendous pressure on me. I felt as if no matter what, I had to make it happen. And while carrying that pressure, I had to work on all the problems daily life brings.
So instead of feeling fulfillment for making a New Year resolution, I started feeling overwhelmed. And as time passed by, it would happen that I miss a date by when I told myself that I will earn more money, travel to my next destination, or overthink less.
Life had other plans. As I was looking at the paper where I wrote all these resolutions, I only saw something that made me feel anxious instead of happy. I saw something that made me to compare myself to others instead feeling that inner peace.
Bottom line, I felt miserable. Sure, some goals were met. But being the perfectionist that I am, I knew that I won’t be pleased until I reach every single goal on that paper. Because if I don’t, I would feel as if I can’t even honor my own words from just few months back.
So I realized…
No more New Year resolutions
I’m not saying you should live day by day and not thinking about the future. That’s a different story. But there’s no need to wait for a certain month of the year, so that you can decide to do something for the next one.
Time is a concept only humans have. Only we use clocks, and human beings are the only ones who measure years, months, days, hours, minutes… We are under this constant pressure to do everything on time.
Earn more, travel more, do more of that, do less of this, and the list goes on and on… It was like this for me until this year when I made a choice. Never again will I make New Year resolutions and ask myself are they needed.
The reason why?
I don’t want to plan every step of my journey.
Be here, now!
Instead of focusing on a New Year resolution, why not just trying to enter 2020 with a fresh start? 🙂
What happened in 2019, happened. We can’t turn the clock backwards, but we can be in the present moment.
Why not simply make a choice to slow down, to smile more, to cry when you need to, to have more chocolate ice cream, to dance in the rain, to play video games while having your favorite coffee, see your friends more often, take yourself out to dinner, or to enjoy reading your favorite book in a quet coffee shop while it’s snowing outside?
Let me tell you a secret. You don’t even have to make that choice. Just do it!
Live! 🙂
You can do all that whenever you want to, 365 days a year, you don’t have to wait for December!
Go do your thing! Something good might happen, something bad might happen, you might fail, you might feel sad, abandoned, or happy, or in love, but nothing will happen if you make New Year resolutions a must just because everyone else do them, and because you believe you need them.
You don’t need a plan to live your life. You just have to embrace the fact that it will happen, whether you plan it or not.
I have no idea what 2020 is going to bring. I honestly have no clue. Coming from someone who planned almost every step of the way, that can be a scary thought, looking into the unknown.
But I tell you what? The unknown can sometimes be pretty awesome. You have to allow life to happen. You just need to take one step at a time. 🙂
Love,
Marko
What are your thoughts on New Year resolutions? What’s your experience with them, and how do they make you feel? We would love to hear from you in the comment section below!