Why you should think twice before making new year’s resolutions

New Year’s resolutions have become a popular tradition all over the world. People use the new year as a time to reflect and to set goals for themselves. But are these resolutions really worth making? Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why New Year’s resolutions may be more trouble than they’re worth. 

The pressure of perfection 

New Year’s resolutions can often lead to feelings of pressure and guilt when we don’t live up to our own expectations. We can be so focused on the end goal that we forget about the effort it takes to get there. This can lead us down a path of self-criticism when our progress is slower than expected or if we fail altogether. 

The problem with timing 

In addition, setting goals for ourselves during the new year period can lead us to feel like we must change everything all at once. We may put too much pressure on ourselves to make dramatic changes in our lives when in reality small, incremental changes are more likely to stick long-term.  Moreover, because life is unpredictable, it can be difficult to plan ahead and make big commitments that could potentially be derailed by unanticipated events or circumstances.  This can lead us to feel disappointed or frustrated with ourselves if our plans do not align with reality as we had hoped they would by the end of the year.  

Procrastination potential  

Finally, making drastic resolutions during the New Year can also set us up for procrastination because we can develop an “all or nothing” mentality about achieving our goals quickly and easily without taking into account all of the hard work involved in reaching them. This leads us down a slippery slope where instead of taking action towards our goals each day, we simply wait until next year when “things will be different.” It is important to remember that true success comes from consistent effort over time rather than from sudden bursts of motivation at certain times during the year. 

All in all, there are many potential pitfalls associated with making New Year’s resolutions that you should keep in mind before committing yourself too heavily this holiday season. Instead of making grand promises you might not be able to keep, consider focusing your energy on smaller steps—like setting short-term goals that build towards your larger vision—that will help you build momentum throughout the year instead of feeling overwhelmed by it all at once come January 1st! If you want some inspiration as to how to follow through with long-term goals, read our recent article here. [link goal-setting article once live]

Ultimately, whether or not you decide to make New Year’s resolutions is completely up to you—just remember that whatever decisions you make should come from genuine motivation and intention rather than just doing something because it has become tradition!

By Sarah Panther