So I don’t believe in making New Year’s Resolutions. But this year I made one. If you have heard me on my soap box about resolutions, you may wonder why?
If you haven’t heard me. My position is basically this:
Making a goal for a year, encourages you to think of big year long things you would like to achieve. Most often people will make the big goal and not break it down into achievable steps.
As one person put it: Think of the next smallest step that can get you closer to your goal.
Which is why folks often get to the end of a year having not achieved the Big goal.
I prefer to make monthly or even weekly goals. Sure they may be steps towards a longer Big goal. But they are achievable. Those of us that procrastinate have a deadline that is closer and therefore can’t be put off as easy as a year long deadline.
A year long dead line encourages thoughts which usually start with “I’ll do it when ……. .
- I’ll do it when it’s not so hot out.
- I’ll do it when I get a work out outfit.
- I’ll do it when I have figured out where to do it.
- I’ll do it when I have a pretty notebook for it.
- I’ll do it when I have lost weight.
- I’ll do it when I have a house with a spare room.
You get the picture.
So why after decades of consciously not making any goals on Dec 31 – Jan 1, have I gone and made one this year?
I am a little ashamed to say had fallen into ‘I’ll do it when’ syndrome anyhow. For months now I have meant to make a goal that would get me outside for 15 mins a day. Hopefully in the morning.
Lately I have been inspired of staying with a niece who would have a quiet cuppa outside, under the eaves, come rain or shine.
So New Year’s Eve I finally bit the bullet and used ant cultural impetus of making a resolution that day.
I now either garden or have a quiet cuppa on the front step and see the rising sun. It is always a herbal tea. It is usually a Bedtime mix of some kind. Why Bedtime? Because the inclusion of mint always makes me feel like waking up, being alert and fresh.
So have I changed my mind on making resolutions on New Year’s Eve. No I don’t think so. I still think it encourages grand plans more than doable ones.
I much prefer to use a monthly prompt. Either the 1st of each new month, or the New Moon for starting resolutions/goals on. Mid way through evaluating how its going and tweaking if necessary to reach the goal.
Will I use the technique of using it as motivation to finally make a resolution/goal that I have been putting off? While I hope I don’t get into the procrastinating making a goal again. I will use it if I have to. But I hope I can get back into the monthly goal setting. And, strangely, maybe it is that that I should have made my New Year’s resolution to be.