Written by: Allison Grundy
As the new year begins, some people start to think about their resolutions. For many, the new year is like a blank canvas where they can have a second chance to work on themselves and toward their goals. One reason why making resolutions may be worth considering is the ability to look back over the years and see growth.
Of course, the new year is not the only time to start working toward goals. Most resolutions can begin any day; the most important aspects of meeting goals are determination and consistency, which have nothing to do with the starting point. But the new year is undoubtedly a time of reflection.
Whether or not you decide to make traditional resolutions for the new year, I hope you will keep your goals in mind. If you choose to make resolutions, here are a few different ways to outline new year goals:
An “Ins” and “Outs” List: For this type of list, make two columns, one labeled “ins” and the other labeled “outs.” The ins are the aspects of life to start incorporating. The outs are the things to take a break from. This type of list may be best for people who want to highlight specific switches.
For example, students might put “whole milk” in their outs and “oat milk” in their ins if they want to take the steps to have a more plant-based diet. Another example is putting “supporting small businesses” in their ins and “ordering from Amazon” in their outs.
But keep in mind that there doesn’t have to be correlations on the columns; one can simply list ins and outs.
Anti-resolutions List: For this list, people can write down what they will stop doing. I tried this type of approach in 2023. Instead of writing down a list of the habits I wanted to start doing, I took some time to think about the habits that I wanted to try to take a break from.
I’ve always been under the impression that it’s a bad thing to think in the negative realm, as in, “Don’t focus on what you won’t do; instead, focus on what you will do.” However, I found that this list helped me to think about what I value in my life and the areas I wanted to see change in.
A few things on my anti-resolution list are to stop watching movies with violence and to stop looking at reviews of movies and books before I read them.
Group Resolutions: In the new year, consider getting together some friends, family or like-minded people to make a goal. A group resolution is a great way to feel supported throughout the year, due to the reminder that others are making the same changes and having the same challenges. An idea for a group resolution is to choose one day a week to go without using social media.
A Mood Board: A mood board is essentially a collage that captures the feelings behind the goals. This can be achieved through pictures that make people think of the life they want to build for themselves. This is a good option for those who are more visual or creative. Mood boards can be very diverse and can be as abstract or as specific as their owners prefer.
The new year can be a convenient time to make changes and become excited about the self-growth that comes with hard work. And while resolutions are oftentimes unkept, it’s important to keep goals in mind while going through life. Making both small and large changes can lead us to hopefully be a little better every time the clock strikes midnight on Jan. 1.
