We’re a couple of days into 2010, and we’ve all (hopefully) recovered from our hangovers. People are talking about the new year, and a fresh start, and making promises to themselves about how they will change their lives and be better people in the coming year.
I have to admit, I’ve never quite bought into the hype. Maybe I just know myself too well to set goals I know I probably won’t reach. When I do change, it’s usually because something happens in my life to show me that I need to, not because society tells me I should come up with something because our annual cycle is resetting.
Do you make New Year’s resolutions? Â If so, what are your resolutions for the coming year? Â Have you been good about keeping them in the past?
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I don’t make firm resolutions, but I do find it a nice simple milestone from which to re-assess my attitude about certain things (like eating too much chocolate or not doing enough exercise). So I guess it’s more like ‘new year intentions’.
My resolution last year was to write more. That worked pretty well, and this year my resolution is basically to keep doing that, but also give myself less of a hard time when I’m tired and want to take the night off. I have taken absolutely none of Richard Wiseman’s good advice about keeping it, so we’re off to a great start.
I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions. If there’s a resolution I need to make, I make it whenever it comes up during the year. For me, if it’s important enough to have to make a resolution about, I should probably get going on it immediately.
I express wishes for others and for me, but really no strict resolutions.
This year I wish you all success in everything you start; satisfaction, well-beign and all kind of good things come after that.
For me, I’d really like to learn how to enjoy life.
I don’t make resolutions. I have issues with authority, even my own, and tend to rebel if I am told what to do. Even by myself.
Around here ‘Wow! We’re still alive!’ is how we greet the Western new year. By February, we’ll be ready to eat Chinese food and celebrate.
Recovered from your hangovers??
Amateurs….
My New Years resolution is the same every year and it’s pretty simple: Expand the borders of my empire.
This year, I extended my rule to the living room. One day, I hope to get the kitchen and the cat box under my dominion… but I have to proceed carefully. It’s a delicate process.
My new year resolution is to not make a new year resolution at all and to wing it every year.
Naw. I figure, if I can keep a promise to myself at New Year’s, I can just as easily do the same thing at some other arbitrary point in the solar cycle.
@ZenMonkey: I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions. If there’s a resolution I need to make, I make it whenever it comes up during the year.
This is my attitude exactly. Good ideas come at all times.
I almost always keep my resolutions, but it’s not always a good thing. Resolutions like going vegetarian affect the whole household.
I stand with zenmonkey and davew on this one. If you need to make a change, why wait for New Year’s Eve? Just get on with it.
I’ve resolved to pick-up at least one new unhealthy/lifespan limiting habit this year. Any suggestions?
I don’t normally make “resolutions” per se, but I set goals for myself and a year from January 1 to January 1 is a good time frame for those goals. I also set mini monthly goals (like going vegetarian for a month) to keep myself motivated. A lot of my goals are silly though like “make and can your own salsa”. None of this “lose 30 pounds” crap.
I’m not usually big on New Year’s resolutions, but I’m making an exception this year. 2009 was almost unbearably crappy, so the 2010 resolution is to do more stuff that brings me joy, and less that makes me miserable. We’ll see how it goes, but I have hopes for the best year ever.
I don’t usually make New Year’s Resolutions, but I did this year. It’s more of a continuation of something I started back in September:
1. have a more positive attitude
2. make some new friends
3. get into the best shape of my life (this is put on hold every year from Thanksgiving until New Year’s Day)
4. pay off half my debt in a year
My new years resolution for this year is 1280 by 1024. I know its old but someone has to make that joke.
@teravaune
Lol, I haven’t heard of that joke, so I guess that makes it all right. ^_^
I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions but around this time I start ramping up new projects for the year. Usually around Dec. 15 I start deciding what’s worth my time to put effort towards. This year there are two new projects. The Fledgeling Skeptic Podcast and increased marketing for my company. I’m with the rest of you who said, why wait for an arbitrary date. Start now!
The last resolution that I remember making was “avoid crazy bitches”, always good dating advice, and I did a pretty good job at keeping it
They might seem stupid on the surface, but perhaps the tradition of new year’s resolutions provides a good reminder to take a look in the mirror once in a while and determine if the kind of person you want or claim to be is looking back at you.
I do give “Am I the best me I could be?” a little extra thought around new year, but I don’t make any resolutions.
I know there are things I should improve, for instance I should stop procrastinating, but I also know making a new year’s resolution will have little to no effect.
I’ve never made resolutions specifically at New Year, but found these at I Hate People. I love the book and these resolutions fit into what I’d like to accomplish in my life.
There are two others I made a couple of months ago: Do the best I can with what I have, and be a good friend.
@Billy Clyde Tuggle:
A lot of unprotected sex with at least one other person besides yourself.
Life is hectic at best, so the influence of the masses can make me pause and think about a particular topic that I wouldn’t have otherwise given any time or energy to. Resolution making isn’t something I do, but the “taking stock” aspect does come around this time of year, only because so many people start talking about resolutions.
For the record, if my friends jumped off a cliff, I would not follow…unless we were hand gliding or something that made the action seem logical.
I don’t take them seriously, but New Years is a time to reflect on something that I would like to achieve.
I almost pulled it off in 2009, but maybe 2010 will be better.
I made a lot of resolutions this year…I don’t usually make any, but I made one big one that’s really the only one that I expect myself to keep – I’m a vegetarian now…2 days so far go me!
@Billy Clyde Tuggle: 2 words “Cuban Cigars.” It is possible to find them in the states and quite frankly they are the smoothest damn cigar I’ve ever smoked.
Like others have mentioned, resolutions are something that can be made at anytime. This, however has not stopped me from resolving to completely (or nearly completely, at least more so than last year) cut out Junk food from my diet for a period of six months (I’m starting today, considering the last three I failed to keep that resolution), and to start dating.