Reflections and Resolutions

Happy New Year! Is it just me or was 2012 an especially fast year? 2013 just kind of snuck up on us, didn’t it?

Although resolutions have become kind of cliché, I must admit that I love the psychology that comes with a new year – I am a sucker for feeling like I get a fresh start every 365 days. Sure, you can make a fresh start every day and you probably should, but there’s something extra about a brand new year. Or maybe once again, it’s just me, and even if it is, well, I like it!

How do you feel about getting this psychological fresh start every 365?

I believe the best way to truly take advantage of the psychology that a new year brings is to reflect on the past year and resolve as many unsettled questions, emotions, and feelings as possible; tie as many loose ends as you can. And if despite your efforts, there are still things that linger, well, sometimes it’s best not to attempt to fix a broken vase; sometimes you just have to throw that vase away and move on, if you know what I mean.

Looking back, 2012 was a tough year. I was on the phone with a close friend on Tuesday and as we reflected on the year, I admitted that it was one of the hardest years I’ve had. Of the year, I said, “I have never cried as much as I cried in 2012.” There were so many ups and downs, so many failures, and so many uncertainties. But the end-result was a stronger, wiser, and more empowered person; a person who has learned first-hand that things may fall apart so that greater things can come together, and that God’s plans are always better than mine – a lesson I’ll always be re-learning I’m sure.  Still, that’s all the inspiration I need to take 2013 by storm.

This week I’ve been spending some time thinking about some of the things I actually want to do this year as well as who I want to become. I think goals are important, but goals without plans as they say, are just wishes. And that’s the thing about resolutions – too often we don’t make goals, we make wishes. So this year, I’m making resolutions that have plans and strategy. To share a few: I want to be more disciplined with money, eating habits, and sleeping habits. So I’m resolving to have a bed time during the work week, depending on the workload of my week of course. I’ll be using more cash this year because psychologically that makes me spend less money, and I’ll have a bi-weekly budget to follow. I will also make an effort to cook dinner four times a week.

See the difference between a wish and a resolution? I wish to be more disciplined in my eating, sleeping, and finances. The resolution is the strategy that I have devised to accomplish the wish. I have other things I intend to do, as I’m sure you do and I think goal-setting monthly and reviewing the resolutions throughout the year will help too. I believe resolutions are important because having something to work towards, something to be inspired by, finding and defining a purpose is a gift we can give to ourselves at the beginning of the year and throughout the year. Because if we’re not growing each year and learning and becoming better versions of ourselves, then we’re probably taking life for granted and not giving it the best we’ve got.

So what are your reflections and resolutions this year? And have you thought about how you’re going to keep yourself accountable and keep on track? Share some good tips if you have any! Ms. Career Girl’s newest columnist,Vivian Ta, gave us a few tips yesterday, so be sure to check some of those out.

One last piece of corny advice for you this year: Don’t be afraid to resolute BIG. Because as Steve Jobs said, “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones that do.”