Skip to content

Make a resolution you can keep

Christmas has come and gone, and the New Year has been ushered in. It’s the time of the year when millions of people around the world resolve to make changes in their life for the better.

Christmas has come and gone, and the New Year has been ushered in. It’s the time of the year when millions of people around the world resolve to make changes in their life for the better.

There are hundreds of New Year’s Resolutions made by people looking to improve their lifestyle, and those resolutions range from the very practical to the almost impossible. For example, according to the website 123newyear.com, some of the more popular resolutions include:

• Donate to the poor more often

• Become more environmentally responsible

• Lose weight

• Get fit

• Concentrate more on studies

• Become more assertive

• Become more cost-effective

• Quit smoking, drinking and other such habits

• Get a better job

Those are all very good resolutions, and most are relatively easy to achieve.

Donating money to the less fortunate isn’t a problem here in Barrhead. This town has proven time and again that it takes care of its own in times of need. The holidays are solid proof of that, what with the numerous charitable organizations vying for donations, and residents stepping up to the plate every time.

It never ceases to amaze just how supportive Barr-head can be, but there are those out there who may not have had the opportunity to feel the joy of giving to the less fortunate. These people need to resolve to change that, even if it’s only a few dollars here and there.

Of course, losing weight and getting into shape are very common resolutions, and are among the easiest to achieve if the person making the resolution commits to that goal. It takes a change in lifestyle to shed unwanted pounds, and it can bring only positive results for anyone who sticks with it. Gyms around the world report a sharp increase in the number of people who purchase memberships, but are quick to add that after about two months, most of those people no longer use the facilities.

For the vast majority, however, a New Year’s Resolution will pass their lips, but that’s as far as it will go. According to Wikipedia, research shows that while 52 per cent of participants in a resolution study were confident of success with their goals, only 12 per cent actually achieved their goals. Men achieved their goal 22 per cent more often when they engaged in goal setting, (a system where small measurable goals are being set, such as a pound a week, instead of saying “lose weight”), while women succeeded 10 per cent more when they made their goals public and got support from their friends.

That’s why resolutions shouldn’t be anything onerous, unless the person making it has a will made of iron. It can even be something as simple as resolving to hold the door open for someone once a day, or saying thank you more often. Even those may be difficult resolutions to uphold for an entire year, so taking small steps is a good way to start.

There is no effort involved with either of those resolutions, and both will go a long way in making another person’s day just a bit brighter.

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks