New Year: New set of resolutions

New Year’s is famously known for being the time of year when people decide it may be a good time to buy gym memberships, start eating healthier or find a perfect relationship. According to Forbes magazine, most of our non-specific resolutions are the hardest for people to keep up with. For instance, “get more exercise” is more difficult to follow through with because getting more exercise could mean working out once day a week, which wouldn’t be enough to make a big enough difference in your life. Therefore, many get discouraged.

The best thing I’ve found to do when setting any resolution is to make sure the goal is specific but not too detailed or unattainable. “Lose 20 pounds” is a common resolution for people around the New Year, but if you have been trying to lose weight for a while, you might make your goal to lose 10 pounds. It is still losing weight, and if you end up being able to make it happen, you won’t be discouraged that you haven’t lost as much as you had planned.

Another simple way to make your resolutions stick is to find a friend that has the same goal, and work together to make it happen. A little friendly competition never hurt anyone, and most people will tell you they want to obtain their goal even more in a competitive setting so they don’t lose and hurt their pride.

My New Year’s resolutions this year were not as far out as they have been in the past couple of years. A major resolution for myself was being more conscious of how I treat people and living with less negativity. I don’t beat myself up if I yell at someone, but I realize later that I shouldn’t have done it and try my hardest not to do it again. It’s a fabulous resolution and I would definitely recommend it if you want to make 2013 a year full of positivity.

Another resolution I have for this year is to stay friends with my high school peers that also attend Radford. We have been friends since middle school, and anyone who can tolerate me that long clearly deserves to stick around for the long haul. It is a simple resolution you can put on your list every year. It is one that reminds you of the people you shouldn’t let go of. Little fights do not matter as much when you realize that you need these people in your life. You realize that the arguments are insignificant compared to what you may have already been through in the past. Friends are a huge part of my life, which is why this is my biggest resolution for 2013.

New Year’s resolutions can be tricky to stick to especially because you sometimes create these outlandish goals because of all the excitement of a “new year, new you” ideal. The best thing to do is keep it simple, attainable and realistic. The more resolutions you accomplish this year, the more likely you are to accomplish even bigger ones next year. Let’s make 2013 a year to remember full of positive experiences with great company.

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FOR THE TARTAN