JUDGING by the time of year and the title of this week’s piece, it is within every writer’s interest to remain relevant. Christmas is officially over and it’s that period where we patiently wait on January 1 to arrive as if it is supposed to bring us an automatic better life and opportunities. At the age of 18, I can sadly say that on January 1, it has always been a burst of happiness on 12:00 AM and by 12:10 AM, I am either sleepy or back to normal. Some of you might disagree but that’s how I have always seen January 1.

It has always been a continuation of my normal lifestyle. I have never been the type of person to upkeep a New Year’s resolution either. I hope I’m not starting to sound like a boring, unenthusiastic person about a holiday that probably means much more to many of you because I am trying to change that now.

It is not that I don’t believe in the concept of a New Year’s resolution, I innocently just never seemed to be interested in completing one up until now. In my research and findings, I have read and have come to an understanding that it is just much more than just a concept with a fancy title to force ourselves to complete tasks we normally refuse to do or we’re usually uninterested in. A New Year’s resolution should include an achievable/attainable goal with a purposeful aim.

A resolution should be more of a ‘self-betterment’ initiative that you set out to complete. Some of the more cliché but still yet important to many resolutions are:
Going on a diet, promising to stop cursing or swearing, taking anger management, etc. People come up with a list of many things they’d like to accomplish during the New Year. I will commit myself towards a New Year’s resolution and will discuss what it is in a later writing of mine so stay tuned for 2019’s column pieces.
Here’s a list of questions/thoughts I have pondered upon to help me accomplish my resolution:

(1) What would I like my resolution to be?
(2) What is the purpose of the resolution?
(3) Is it attainable?
(4) How will it benefit me?
(5) Will it have either a positive or negative effect on the persons around me?
(6) How do I plan on achieving it?
(7) Is it a long term or short term goal?

Most importantly, as you proceed through time with your resolution, make sure you do a timely (monthly, weekly, daily) evaluation of your progress and/or regression of your resolution. It sits on my mind as to why do we choose to set goals at the beginning of the year. Perhaps it’s the historical/religious background of resolutions, the beginning of the Roman calendar in January, the practice performed by many Americans to better themselves in whatever way needed during the great depression at the beginning of every year or maybe it’s our inner OCD tendencies to be organised and systematic when it comes to time and life goals.

Whatever the case may be, I applaud any system that people use to help change old habits, better their thinking, behaviour and emotional stability as an individual. So if by chance, you were successful at completing a resolution then I certainly strive to be like you in the coming year.

Finally, remember that it is not a crime to break a pledge or two because some goals are harder to achieve than others. Every year seems to hold something new and collective. I remember my past by years and not necessarily by the exact dates or time.

2018 has been a year of constant journeys and transition, 2017 was my year of closing old doors and opening new educational ones, 2009 was my year of childhood innocence, 2000 was the year I changed the lives of my parents forever (certainly cannot remember that). Nonetheless, as an old quote said,
‘The New Year is the first blank page of a 365 paged book, write a good one.’