As the end of 2018 nears and New Year’s Eve comes around once again, there is something many of us probably take part in: making New Year’s resolutions! It’s the start of a long road to a new and improved you.
Students specifically set goals for the new year in hopes of having better success at school, whether that be academically or socially.
Yet while most people have great resolution ideas such as studying more, focusing on work instead of parties, eating healthy, and making new friends, we all know that only a small percent of people ever really achieve their New Year’s resolutions and end their old bad habits. We as a human species are notoriously bad at keeping promises and resisting temptations, and by the first few weeks of January most of these resolutions have fallen flat.
The KO News believes that completing a New Year’s resolution can work if you set a goal that is actually doable and meaningful. The five easy steps we think will help you attain your New Year’s goal go as follows:
One: make a short bucket list for the new year. Two: focus and make the process enjoyable. Three: set mini goals, small steps are still steps. Four: write about the resolution daily. Five: set goals that can be measured.
If you follow these steps, then completing a New Year’s resolution and reaching your goal is possible. Setting goals such as “studying more,” “eating healthy,” and “making new friends” is too broad. Instead, set the goal on a smaller scale by saying you will look over your flashcards or notes for ten minutes every night, eat healthy snacks instead of vending machine food and try to talk to one new person every day.
Staying present and having a positive mindset while working on these goals is what will make the process enjoyable instead of painstaking. Additionally, reflecting on the resolution and journaling daily about what you’re doing to attain the goal will reinforce the hard work you have been putting in and keep you motivated.
Remember that you are human, and it is okay to make mistakes and have relapses when reaching your resolutions. No goals are achieved easily or overnight; hard work, determination and baby steps are what will get you there.
