Why I’ve not made New Year’s Resolutions for 2022 and what I’m doing instead
So as we move into February, hands up if you’re still keeping up with your New Year’s Resolutions or the changes you wanted to make in your life?
Statistically by the end of January 64% of people who made resolutions will have already broken them. The odds are stacked against you from the beginning. So if you’re not keeping up with the habits you wanted to create for this year don’t fret, you’re clearly not alone.
If you’re someone who has made and is sticking to resolutions - well done to you. You’ve already beaten the odds and probably this blog isn’t really going to be relevant for you. But if you’re feeling the pressure to change or struggling to achieve those goals, read on. I am no longer making new year’s resolutions and here’s why.
Why I’m no longer making resolutions
I’m sick of the pressure we place ourselves under to make huge and unrealistic changes to life on the basis that it’s the first day or the first month of a new year. It’s no wonder so many of us fail. January is a tough month with short days, bad weather, lack of funds post Christmas and that’s not to mention the guilt so many people feel at not having “stuck to habits” over Christmas. It’s not an optimal time to create change. Waiting for the seasonal change in March makes much more sense when it comes to changing habits.
Resolutions don’t work for me. I make them and I break them. It’s a negative cycle that never leaves me feeling good, so why do it to myself. Every year I think it will be different and it never is so I’m just going to change the way I’m doing things instead (see below).
We took two weeks holiday in January which is never going to be an easy/good time to make changes. When you’re away from home and your daily routine it’s either a lot harder or a lot easier to make changes but either way, it’s not realistic for the long term because you’re not living in your ‘real life’.
What I am doing instead
January - reflect and recharge
I used January as a month to reflect on what happened in 2021, my successes, my challenges and where I’m at with life right now. It helped that I had two weeks away in which to focus on this but even a day or an hour out from your normal routine and stresses can give you the headspace to reflect. As well as looking back I also visualised where I want to be in 12 months time in my life, my work, my relationships etc.
I’ve made lists of actions I need to take to become the person / be living the life in my vision. I’ve prioritised those and made a note of any help/resources I will need for these. I’ve then started scheduling them in from March.
I also used January as a month to recharge, as I’ve already said, it’s not the best time to be making big changes so I went easy on myself and did the things I know help me recharge like being in nature, eating well, resting, reading and watching trashy TV!
Don’t worry that it’s already February, you can start this action now and combine it with step two for February.
February - reset
I’ve been decluttering my physical and mental space ready to make changes. For me, if my life and space feel overwhelming I become paralysed and unable to make changes. While I’m fully aware this may be a procrastination technique, I find decluttering really helpful to create a fresh setting from which to make changes. It’s also a constructive use of time as I wait for the season change when I will start implementing the actions I identified in January.
March - relaunch and review
When I get to March I will start with the small, simple actions I have identified that will help me achieve my vision for my life in 2022. At this time, the days will be getting longer, the weather improving (hopefully) and I will feel like I have the foundations to really establish and maintain/achieve these actions.
I will also be reviewing and reworking these actions as I go along - perhaps I underestimated how long something would take or something else isn’t working the way I thought it would. Rather than powering through because I said I would I plan to change and alter as I go so, I can achieve what I need to reach my vision.
How about you? Do you still use resolutions? Do these work for you or do you think this approach might work better for you?