“New Year's eve is like every other night; there is no pause in the march of the universe, no breathless moment of silence among created things that the passage of another twelve months may be noted; and yet no man has quite the same thoughts this evening that come with the coming of darkness on other nights”
- Hamilton Wright Mabie
“The object of a New Year is not that we should have a New Year. It is that we should have a new soul”
- G.K Chesterton
It's that time again folks. Time to look back on the previous year, evaluate the highs and lows, and for most, make some resolutions for the coming year. You DO make resolutions don't you? No? Well, join the club. atlanticspeed finds it interesting that most people wait until the end of the year, perhaps even a one day period of time, in which to actually make the changes they feel are necessary to achieve their goals, be they personal, financial, professional / career or other. Why wait? Why not take action throughout the year when we see things going off the rails? If the middle of July comes and you're stuck in a rut, not exercising or eating cleanly for example, well, ...makes sense to implement the changes at that point no? Which leads us to another question: why do people make resolutions in the first place?
Since the creation of the calendar people have been enduring the change that comes from the dawn of a new year. New Year’s celebrations usually represent the close of the old year and the birth of the New Year. This is one of the reasons for the creation of Father Time. It is a visual illustration of the changing of time and the closing of one year and the opening of another.
(1) People want to experience positive change.
Many people have the desire to change something about their lives. People falsely believe that if they can change specific areas of their lives that instantly things will get better. Making a resolution is a good start to embracing and experiencing positive changes. The decision to change always comes before the actual change of behavior.
(2) People are always in a state of change.
Many people do not like change but at New Year’s there is going to be change. Change is a common experience for everyone during the coming of the New Year. There is no way to avoid the passing of time and the change that happens at midnight on December 31. New Year’s almost gives permission for people to attempt the change that they need in their lives. The idea of a fresh start becomes an opportunity to welcome personal changes without a painful process.
(3) People often follow the crowds.
There are many people who simply follow the lead of others. Some people make New Year’s resolutions just because everyone else is doing the same thing. There is almost a traditional aspect about making resolutions that people embrace in the moment but forget a few days after New Year’s. Sound familiar? Take a look at the attendance at a gym in early January compared to a few months later!
Whatever the reason for choosing a New Year’s resolution, people are attempting to make positive changes in their lives. New Year’s seems like the best time of year to break with old and embrace the new. Of course, the toughest part of making them is making them stick and failing to follow through. Quitting smoking, cutting down on booze or fast food, not eating late at night, picking up some new language skills, reading more, spending less time on Facebook and more time with us at triNBatlanticSPEED, putting some $$$ away for a rainy day, investing more time with family, taking up a new sport, changing careers, renovating your house, taking more time off work, avoiding stress and managing it effectively, losing a few pounds, improving a few fitness PR's, doing your first tri race...the list is endless.
So, what are YOUR resolutions for 2011? Anything you'd care to share? We'd love to hear your comments! Whatever they might be, we wish you all the best for a happy, healthy, positive and rewarding New Year, and for sticking to those resolutions. Cheers and see you in 2011!
No comments:
Post a Comment