The thought of making a New Year’s resolution stresses me out. In my eyes, there are strict criteria that this challenging statement must meet. And while most of America uses this as an opportunity to devote themselves to becoming fit and healthy, my resolution only prompts anxiety and distress even before it actually exists.
My resolution cannot be cliché—and this is where my problem begins. By wanting to be different, I’m creating more work for myself. Who knew being unique was hard? If I have to live up to this statement for the rest of the year, I might as well be living up to goals I’ve set and not someone else’s. After testing my theory for many years, in the end, taking the time to figure out what resolution I need to set for myself is worth the initial challenge. (I also have tried demanding excruciating exercise routines from myself and I gradually despise every second I spend at the gym or thinking about the gym.)
To begin my resolution-creating process, I think about my previous year. What went wrong? What went well? Never view a task like self-evaluation lightly (trust me on this one). And that’s all resolution making needs to be – self evaluation. I’ve streamlined this process into this single step. Based off your findings you can create the perfect resolution. This year, I came up with my solutions to improve my 2011. It may not be your resolution, but this is my outline to help you mold the perfect resolution for yourself. Be selfish. A resolution is all about you.
1. Find out what you’re passionate about – If you are passionate about something, you enjoy spending most of your time doing that activity. Figure out ways to incorporate your passion into your life. It may be cliché but when you have a career doing what you are passionate about, it doesn’t feel like work at all.
My Wonderful World of Fashion, Amazon, $13.50
For me, I love fashion design. I’m hoping that my newly purchased fashion design sketch book will help give me the confidence I need to start pursuing some of the endless opportunities out there. The book may provide an outline of different clothing articles, but the doodling designs are all mine. Who knows, I may be the next Vera Wang...or the next Picasso.
2. Take the time to help someone else – My sister is getting married this year! As her Maid of Honor, I am making it my duty to help her stress as little as possible. She’s done so much for me in my life and now is the perfect opportunity to give a little back. Sure resolutions are supposed to be selfish, but nothing can reproduce the feeling of helping others.
The Bridesmaid's Guerrilla Handbook, Barnes and Noble, $9.95
3. Be healthy – I know I said I wouldn’t be cliché, but this is a whole new spin on that idea. Find what works for you. Don’t let it consume you. Here’s what I’ve decided: I know I am not going to eat lean meat and organic vegetables every day and that’s ok. I’m going to pick foods that I do know that are healthy that I enjoy eating and incorporate them into my diet – blueberries, almonds, dark chocolate. I’m also going to try to drink green tea more often. It’s refreshing and it helps boost your metabolism.
4. It’s ok to indulge in a guilty pleasure every now and then –When the world is spinning too quickly around you, sometimes the best remedy to catch up with it, is to slow down.
The Boyfriend Pant, Victoria's Secret, $29.95
Pajama pants and the new season of The Bachelor screams relaxation to me. The only thing I’m resolving not to do that would top this scene off is the tub of ice cream.
5. Be nostalgic – The whole point of creating a resolution is understanding what happened in the past year. Why not take the time to look back at even more of your history? It can help you understand who you are, who you want to be, and where you are from.
Since the year started, I've created a photo album of my favorite pictures. No, not the type of photo album where I tag my best friends. It’s the old-school slide the picture in the plastic slot style…and I love it. My best friend moved to Hawaii last year. She tells me that receiving letters in the mail shows just a little more thought than an e-mail (but she will gladly accept both). I am writing her a letter every other week. I love the quotable cards line. Sometimes someone else can sum up exactly what you wanted to say.
Stylish All Purpose Binder, Zazzle, $21.35
Quotable Card, propertopper.com, $2.95
Maybe the most important point to remember when creating a resolution is that it, ultimately, makes you happy. Welcome 2012!
Posted by Terisa on January 11, 2012 at 09:46 PM EST #
Posted by Natalie on January 12, 2012 at 10:31 AM EST #