New Year’s Resolutions and How to Keep Them

By Allison Murphy

January 4, 2017

Junior Jordan Murphy is one of many Cowboys that have made resolutions they want to keep. Photo by Allison Murphy.

Junior Jordan Murphy is one of many Cowboys that have made resolutions they want to keep. Photo by Allison Murphy.

Do you think you'll stick with your New Year's Resolutions this year?

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        The year 2016 has come to an end, and with that, there is the beginning of another. During this time of change, many people tend to reflect on what they have done in the last three hundred and sixty-five days. With this reflection, there is usually a feeling of accomplishment and/or guilt. Since this reflection creates such emotions, many create what we know as resolutions and intend to follow them through, hoping that by the end of the year, they will have been successful in achieving them. Unfortunately, for many, they will be abandoned, forgotten about, and ultimately never completed by the end of January.

        When asked what his main hopes for 2017 would be, junior Jordan Murphy said, “My New Year’s resolution is to aim for higher goals in school and work harder at running in track so I can get faster.”

     

       Vita Guardabascio, an Italian teacher at Pascack Hills, said that her goal for her students is to “put down the phones and value the company of others around you. Talk face to face with one another. Keep those phones in your bags and notice the privilege that it is to be with others.”

        Here are some tips to ultimately help anyone become successful in following through with new year’s resolutions:

        If you stumble, make it part of the dance: In other words, be gentle with yourself. You are only human and with that comes making mistakes. The most important part of this is to recognize what you’ve done wrong (or haven’t done at all) and learn from it.

        Prioritize your goals: When creating your resolutions for the year, it might be tempting to come up with numerous things that you would like to change about your life, or yourself, in general. Stick to a few things that you know will ultimately make you happy when you accomplish your goals; with this, you will not be overwhelmed, as you would be if you focused on too many resolutions at once.

        Strive for self-acceptance and balance: Instead of coming to the conclusion that you need to lose weight, change your hairstyle, or cut out certain things from your life, recognize what is benefitting you in the moment and what is not. If you do decide to change something, allow yourself to acknowledge these feelings, such as discomfort from the change. The most important part of this is to acknowledge it and to not let it get to you. Accept this so-called “flaw” and accept the feelings that are a part of changing this habit.

        Make it something you truly desire: Specifically, this means to pick resolutions that you actually want rather than things you “should want.” Choose resolutions that will ultimately fit your values and morals. Click HERE for a list of resolutions to get the ball rolling.

        Have a plan: Instead of just listing general things that you hope to accomplish in 2017, pick a select few and follow through with how you plan on achieving these goals. Create a series of smaller goals to eventually lead to reaching the main goal. For example, plan out what you might do to make little improvements throughout the week. Remember to take each day at a time. This could include waking up earlier, setting your phone away for extended periods of time, or completing your homework as soon as you get home from school.