Resolutions

We’re now a few weeks into the new year – and most people have already abandoned their resolutions. If that’s you, no worries. If you’re still kicking yourself for not meeting last year’s resolution, let yourself off the hook. While we changed out calendars with new ones, January first is just the next day. There’s still time to finish, to revise, and to be kinder to ourselves.

This is also a gentle reminder that if you are someone who makes resolutions, you can make fun ones, too. Maybe resolve to jump in puddles. Maybe resolve to try any new fruit you come across. Maybe resolve to learn how many licks it actually takes to get to the center of a Tootsie-Pop. You can make the serious resolutions, too – but try a fun one to keep you motivated. Learn about and celebrate a holiday from a culture that is different from your own. Learn to say hello is twenty other languages. Pick a different genre of music to listen to (that you don’t already) for each month (bonus points if they are genres from other countries). Commit to visiting a brand new location every month – it can be a town nearby you’ve never set foot in or an establishment in your own town/city you’ve not yet been to. Commit to buying something from a local artist or small business each month (doesn’t have to be anything big – keep your budget in mind). Find a “Best of 2024” list – and complete it. Best movies? Books? (Remember that your local library has both these things.) Swap one of your streaming services for one from another country – and watch their shows.

Whatever you choose, just make sure it’s something you’re excited about – otherwise, you’ll reach the end of 2025 with another resolution unfulfilled. (As I teach my students in study skills, also make sure your goal is SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. This will help make sure you aren’t setting yourself up to fail. A vague goal like “I will be kinder” is difficult to measure, and therefore difficult to achieve. “I will commit one random act of kindness every week” is specific and measurable – so we can tell for sure when we’ve completed it.)

I’m not really one for new years resolutions. I am, however, a goal setter. They just don’t usually line up with the yearly calendar. This last year, however, I did have a rather big, year-long goal. A friend of mine gave me the idea – a one million pound challenge. She and I are both part of the same workout group, and it was something she was considering. It sound like fun (though, I’ll admit, it felt unattainable), so I said why not.

There were several points this year where I didn’t think this would happen – and, as indicated by the graph in the image below, there were a few stretches where I didn’t lift at all. BUT – on Dec 30, I finally tipped over that one million mark. It felt good. (Well, my hamstrings would currently beg to differ.)

Part of completing a goal is tracking it. There are a plethora of tracking apps and sheets and planners out there – you just need to find the one that best fits you. I opted for the free version of the Strides app (after trying a couple).

I am in no way affiliated with or receive any funding whatsoever from them. I merely tried a few dozen apps before landing on this one. (I also tried mapping in my paper planner, and it just didn’t work for me.) I appreciate this one because it can connect and auto-track to from other apps. You can also input data manually. I specifically liked this one because I could input how many ‘sessions’ I would do a week, and it let me know how many pounds I’d have to do for each log – as well as whether or not I was on track to meet my goal. Both those things turned out to be rather motivating.

Are you a resolution kind of person? What was the most fun resolution you ever made? What are you hoping to accomplish this year?