2014 seems to be the year of Resolution Bashing.
In the short few days of this year I have endured more resolution bashing than I deemed possible. Not only have resolutions become ‘uncool’ and ‘completely unattainable’ but now, instead of making resolutions, the collective conscious seems to have taken to the web to resolution bash with far more vigour and passion than I’m sure has ever been put into achieving their goals. There in fact lies the problem, not with the idea of New Year’s resolutions but rather with society as a whole.
We are lazy, procrastinating saps that are more willing to sit on our ass and put a vast amount of energy into whinging about how hard life is and how useless resolutions are seeing as no one can keep them, when really all we need to do is turn that stubborn energy into something more productive. Psychologists say that forming resolutions is bad for our mental health as we often give up within the first week but continue to beat ourselves up over having not achieved them. Misplaced energy, anyone?
Even in our own country we are exposed to people who are too lazy to work but have enough energy to kill those who are ‘stealing jobs’ by actually turning up and doing the work. While a small burst of energy used to coldly murder someone is not the same as the consistency needed to retain a job, resolution, relationship… it still does not take away from the fact that we are instilling in ourselves that new beginnings, goals, dreams and hopes are a waste of time because they require too much energy to achieve but that negative choices deserve what energy we have.
This year I will not be participating in the resolution bashing regardless of whether or not I achieve my goals.
Many resolutions are in fact a better way of life. A healthy, productive life that increases self-worth and positive well-being and consists of things that we should be doing anyway! Drinking more water, being a good person, getting some exercise, saving money, getting organised and quitting smoking are all good things and are definitely not asking too much. So why are we failing at life within the first week of the year? Why are we convinced that resolutions are not to be taken seriously?
Because we’ve been programmed to conform to laziness. We’re brought down by the procrastinators. We conform to those around us and bash our goals along with our peers so as to not stand out. We shy away and hide from our full potential because those around us are doing the same.
I do not sit here judging your lifestyle choices. We all make decisions for a reason but I cannot condone bashing due to laziness and a self-destructive nature. If you choose to give up or to not make resolutions it does not then give you the right to bash those who are willing to start the year off hopeful. Those people at least had the right frame of mind to wake up one day with a sparkle in their eye and a willingness to try.
We all make mistakes. We slip up, we eat that decadent piece of chocolate cake with our feet up and reality TV on, we smoke that quick cigarette while hiding behind the office block, and we choose the movie date with a large popcorn with extra salt, coke and bag of Chuckles over the spin class at gym. It happens. End of story. But those one, two or three slip ups don’t mean that you need to give up. In fact, they give you the opportunity to start over, try harder and learn from your moments of weakness. They allow you the chance to defy temptation again but they also allow you to just be human. We all deserve a slip up now and again, it makes the hard work worth it and frankly, a little bit easier.
Resolutions are not there to punish or humiliate you. They’re there to give you a chance, a clean slate, hope. To attain something that you put your mind to. You don’t need to reach for the impossible. If you’re just never going to be a morning person, don’t force it but try find something worth waking up to, to brighten those dark, anti social hours.
Basically, don’t bash it if you haven’t tried it and don’t bash it if you tried and failed. Get back on that resolution and try again or at least support those that are.
Here’s to a wonderful year regardless.
bloggingmadintern 