Samantha Chaffin

Editor-in-Chief

It’s about that time.

Every year, three to four weeks into the New Year, gyms start to empty and fast food joints see business pick back up.

In that short period of time, many who set out to make a change in their lives see their resolutions go down the drain. Then, after a brief period of mourning over the loss of those resolutions and perhaps, in a few cases, some mild feelings of failure and disappointment, we resolve to do better next year.

Why is it that our resolutions fail so soon, and why are we so quick to just accept it and then wait 11 months before trying again?

For many, the answer may lie in the mere fact that their resolutions just weren’t that important to them.

Sure, maybe they could stand to lose five or ten pounds, or it would be good to stop wasting away in front of the TV… but that after-dinner dessert and marathon of Grey’s Anatomy is simply more important and frankly more enjoyable.

For most of us, however, there are two other primary issues that we need to resolve, before we resolve to do anything in the New Year, or at all.

First of all, why do we have to wait for a new calendar year to better ourselves? If there is a problem that needs fixed or a life-change that needs to be made, don’t we owe it to ourselves to work on it today, not 11 months down the road while the problem only grows larger?

Timing aside, many of us tend to use the New Year as a sort of time for reinvention and aim to make big changes with that—changes that aren’t usually doable, let alone maintainable.

We continue our bad habits or lifestyles up until Dec. 31 and then come Jan. 1, it’s all over and we try to reinvent the wheel with our newfound resolutions.

We try to stop cold turkey or change everything at once after allowing ourselves to do nothing in preparation for that goal in the weeks or months leading up to it. We even act surprised when this three to four week mark comes around and we realize our failures.

It’s no secret that going from a total fast food diet to eating home-cooked, healthy meals every day and night for a year is daunting and difficult.

Although for some who have the discipline and desire it is possible, for most of us, going without unhealthy food staples that we’ve become accustomed to can be almost a form of torture in itself.

I myself am guilty of all of these things, whether it be making a resolution that I just didn’t care that much about, waiting until exactly the New Year to make a change or setting myself up for failure by setting my sights too high.

Don’t get me wrong—if the cold turkey resolution has worked for you, then by all means, continue what you’re doing and know that I am beyond impressed.

On the other hand, if you’re anything like me, consider setting closer dates to start resolving for change, resolve to take steps on your way to a larger goal or work up to those changes before the New Year.

Instead of going cold turkey all of a sudden, start by making a change once a week or twice a month, or whatever you can manage.

Instead of reinventing the wheel right off the bat, plan smaller steps and adjustments you can make in your life so that you can work toward that larger change.

Resolutions are great tools to motivate us to better ourselves, but only if we set ourselves up for success instead of resolving to fail.