The year has just begun and you may have a list of resolutions that you have already established. The question is, do you really need them? For many people, setting resolutions for the new year is little more than a tradition they participate in. It can feel good right now, especially when you’re caught up in the “New Years, New Me” wave of excitement.

But the truth is that the new year is coming and you are still the same as always, with the same peculiarities and beliefs. And you know what? It’s fine. You have a uniqueness about yourself that you shouldn’t try to force into a box with resolutions that you don’t really believe in.

Studies have shown that approximately 80% of New Years resolutions fail in the second week of February.

So again, do you really need New Years resolutions?

Short answer: no, it is not.

Why, you can ask.

Well, let’s find out, shall we?

Too much self-criticism

The first reason you don’t need New Years resolutions is that they are prime ground for crippling self-criticism.

In my article The 3 Differences Between Resolutions and Intentions, I mentioned how Resolutions are a corrective measure. This means that you should focus on every negative aspect of yourself and then see how you can solve the problem. The result? You hit yourself too hard.

Paying too much attention to the things we do wrong is not a healthy way of life. In fact, a Good Therpay article states that excessive self-criticism can have adverse effects on our mental health, including feelings of worthlessness, depression, and body image issues. Imagine starting your year with this kind of weight on your shoulders.

And because resolutions have a huge chance of failing, by the time February-March rolls around and you’ve resigned yourself to the fact that another year will go by and you still haven’t been successful with your resolutions, you’re likely to develop negative thoughts that make you feel like a total failure.

Self-criticism is important for cultivating perspective and humility, but it should never be allowed to grow to the point where it gets in the way of your health or your progress in life. And if New Years resolutions make you too critical of yourself, then you really don’t need them.

There is no room for mistakes

Another reason you don’t need New Years resolutions is that they are often inflexible. People generally put more than one resolution on their list because they want to fix everything, they feel that it is wrong in their current life at once. As you can imagine, this can quickly become overwhelming.

Suppose you miss a day of exercise or your reminder to drink water pops up at the most inopportune time. You would have already fallen behind on one resolution, and trying to get back on track, other resolutions fail.

Before you know it, you’re behind on all your resolutions and too overwhelmed with catching up that you need to throw in the towel.

When it comes to self-improvement, having a clear structure is very important. Therefore, some aspects of your life will have to be rigidly applied, for example, your sleep schedule. However, because resolutions leave no room for mistakes or mere flukes, they will almost certainly fail. You can definitely dispense with resolutions for this reason.

You fear them

Have you ever really thought about the resolutions you put on your list each year? What do you feel just thinking about them? Most of the time, resolution lists are full of things that people are afraid to do.

It’s no wonder they fail so often and so quickly. Nobody likes to do things that they fear every day for such a long time. If you are someone who hates exercise and your resolve says you have to do an intense HIIT workout five days a week, then the task of exercising becomes a burden to check off rather than something that really satisfies you. .

Sure, there are some things you have to get over that you don’t particularly enjoy. However, as long as you can avoid it, these things should not be self-imposed. If you fill your days with things that you fear, your days will be (obviously) dire. They will go on seemingly without end, and the motivation to put all of your purposes together will be much stronger.

And that was the long answer to why resolutions are unnecessary.

So if you don’t need New Years resolutions, what do you need for proper self-improvement?

The answer is simple. Set goals.

A goal is something you hope to achieve, something you enjoy working towards. Even if some of the steps you’ll need to take to get there aren’t exactly what you like (like getting up earlier so you can work on your new book), the result is so powerful and aligns with your purpose and core beliefs that you will stick. to the.

If this article got you thinking about your own goals for the year, book a free consultation with me right now at www.tawawn.com, and I’ll help you plan your year in a way that will get you excited to get started. immediately.