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The Pixel Punk Diaries |
5 Reasons Why You Already Broke Your New Year's Resolution
It is not very fashionable to talk about New Year's resolutions after the first week of January. The media has already abandoned the topic of “bettering one’s self” and is reporting more pressing subjects, like celebrity gossip. Forget about them! We still have some work to do.
For most of you reading this, you've already broken your New Year's resolution. And it's not because you are a bad person. It has more to do with poor planning and unrealistic expectations. Let's take a look at the five reasons you already broke your New Year's resolution:
- You didn't put enough time into choosing your goal.
You have about one week after Christmas to find a New Year's resolution. But really, who thinks about it that way? Most resolutions are invented somewhere around 9:00 PM on New Year's Eve. People put more time into picking out their outfit for their New Year's party than they do picking out an ideal they expect to live for the next 365 days. If you want to keep a resolution, the resolution itself must resound with the core of who you are. Don't waste your time hoping to "not procrastinate" when you really enjoy procrastinating and you have no interest in changing. We've barely started this year, so don't be afraid to choose a new resolution that matters more to you.
A secret resolution is a worthless resolution. - Your goal was vague.
Be nice. Smile more often. Don't be lazy. All of these are pleasant to announce as your resolution, but you'll never accomplish the goal because you can't judge your success. You need goals that are measurable and precise. If you want to be nicer, vow to give three compliments a day. Want to smile more? Decide to smile whenever you walk. If laziness is your problem, try out for a sport or get a job.
- You had no plan of action to make the goal happen.
What good is having a goal if you don't have a plan to make it happen? I've traveled extensively in the five years since I was on "The Real World," and I've met at least 500 people who told me that they will be on the show themselves. Guess how many people actually tried out? Maybe 20. Write down your goals, make a map on how you are going to get there, and then review it every step of the way.
- You didn't tell anyone.
A secret resolution is a worthless resolution. I understand that sometimes our resolutions can be embarrassing, but don't let your pride get in the way of you accomplishing something you really want. If you are addicted to pornography, you aren't going to quit by yourself.
Find a trusted friend and plan a time where the two of you can sit down and talk and pray about your resolution. Set up an appointment with your parish priest and ask him to be your spiritual advisor. I'm telling you, accountability is critical to overcoming any challenge. Don't waste your time on your own!
- You haven't prayed each day about that goal.
I don't mean to oversimplify an awesome God, but do you think God wants us to fail? No. So why not pray each day about your resolution? As Christians, we are told that it is when we are WEAK that we are STRONG. We understand that our weaknesses help us draw closer to God because we depend on His strength. In our vulnerability we are stripped of pride and vanity and we can connect with the pure love of God. It's a beautiful way to experience the struggles of life. Again: we were never meant to make it on our own.
Now take time to evaluate what went wrong in the past few weeks. I'm serious. Get up from your computer and take an hour with some pen and paper. Take an honest look at what got in the way. Resolve to start over and do it right. This year has just begun--there's no reason why you can't start again.
Imagine yourself at next year's New Year's party sitting with a group of friends reminiscing about the highs and lows of the expiring year. Imagine who good you will feel about yourself knowing that you put up a good fight for 365 days and you stayed on track. I bet you'll be the only person who stuck with your resolution. What could be better than that?
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Matt Smith is the Director of Internet Ministries for Life Teen, an international Catholic youth ministry based in Phoenix, Arizona. He is the creative force behind Life Teen's cluster of websites that receive nearly 2 million visits a year. Since staring on MTV's "Real World" and MTV's "Road Rules Challenge", Matt has traveled the country speaking at colleges, universities, schools, and Catholic parishes.
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