“New Year, New You”: It’s Not Too Late To Set A Goal

New+Year%2C+New+You%3A+Its+Not+Too+Late+To+Set+A+Goal

Fabiola Talavera Lopez, Staff Writer

3!…2!…1!…HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It’s a new year, and it’s always so cleansing to start a new year with new goals. Having a New Year’s resolution can help get a head start on making that goal a reality. 

Planning early has always been incredibly efficient, whether that be planning a vacation for months on end or planning a party in a few days. Planning ahead of time can usually lead to better results for when the event actually arrives. Preparing for the new year and having a New Year’s resolution can definitely be rewarding. And, it can also benefit more than some might think.

Think of it as starting a workout journey. Working out like crazy for only one day and slacking off for the rest of the week won’t really help move the journey along. Granted, staying the course, there will be ups and downs, but consistency is key. Sticking to a resolution for most of the entire year, however, isn’t really that easy. Eduardo Landaverde, a senior at Elkhart High School, shares his personal experiences of having previous resolutions and how they didn’t work out. “Last year [my resolutions] were a bit too big for me. I bit off more than I could chew. But, now you know it’s a bit more about consistency, you know? Keep it going with the flow.”

Here is the question most have: Is having a New Year’s resolution really worth all the planning? Well, some think that it isn’t worth it. Lisbeth Rivas, a sophomore, says, “Obviously, people don’t go through it. Making a goal? Everybody is just going to forget it after a month. It’s not really something I’d consider as ‘worth it.’ ” Having the motivation to stick to a New Year’s resolution is definitely easier said than done. And, a resolution might not even sound all that new. A New Year’s resolution can be started whenever and wherever. Sadly, statistics show that only 9% of people successfully keep their New Year’s resolution. Really, that number deserves to be higher. So, here are some tips to better stick to this year’s resolutions!

Starting off small is always the best way to have a manageable resolution. Instead of aiming for long-shot goals, taking baby steps is always found to be more efficient. “Building onto a goal” could be one way of putting it. Completing that small goal could turn into bigger goals. Being realistic is also a major factor. Setting high expectations for oneself can end up in regret later on and not feeling good enough. Setting realistic goals can help prevent that. For instance, fighting off a small bad habit is realistic and can benefit oneself and the others around them. However, some things are simply out of one’s control. Controlling the uncontrollable is not worth it. It’s a fight not worth fighting for. So, maintaining peace within is a good reminder to keep. Everybody knows that humans are not perfect; slacking off sometimes is inevitable. The key is to not let the guilt win. Letting go of guilt when something doesn’t go as planned is very important. Hitting that restart button when something didn’t go well is always a nice thing to remember–even when that means hitting the restart button over and over.

Remember, 2023 has just started. All the seasons will come and go, and new beginnings will happen; opportunities will arrive and change will happen.  So, don’t back down; start now and keep going. Take these tips and advice to stick to the goal that will surely have others saying, “New Year, New You!”