Tai Kok Tsui Awakening – Article No# 8 – New Years Resolutions Happy New Year!!! Solar & Lunar.

It is a common tradition for people following the Gregorian calendar to make a set of personal goals at the end of one solar cycle, to accomplish over the duration of the next cycle. These goals, known as New Year’s Resolutions, go significantly unachieved by the year end. People are people, and over such a vast period of time, find it difficult to maintain the motivation they felt on the edge of the new year, to make those goals a reality. And, on the most part, the people making those goals know full well that they are not actually going to follow through on them. 

So why do people insist on making new year’s resolutions? 

New year’s, just like birthdays, and anniversaries, mark a definitive ending to one chapter of our lives and the beginning of another, signifying what’s known as “the fresh start effect”. This gives way to opportunity to make big and serious changes to your life, to turn over a new leaf so to speak, a clean slate. It’s this significant turning point in time that many people take advantage of to set these goals and tell everyone about them. 

Imagine your friend suddenly popped up one day and said, “OK, starting on Wednesday, I’m going to exercise more, diet better, and quit smoking”, you would probably think your friend a bit weird and just brush him off. Thus, the opportunity of this significant mark of time, such as new year’s, makes proclamations like this not only possible, but believable. 

The Most Common New Year’s Resolutions

While some people try to be playful with their goals, many take them seriously. The following are some of the most common resolutions made year after year. 

Exercise more

Eat healthier

Lose weight

Quit smoking

Drink less alcohol

Spend less time on social media

Save more money

Do things towards a better environment

One Month In: How Are You Going? 

By the time you are reading this article we are around six weeks into the new year. So, it’s time to ask yourself, how is your progress on those resolutions you made on January 1st really going? 

According to Forbes, 80% of people will have given up on their well-intentioned goals by this time, so if you are already off track, then don’t feel bad, you are part of the majority. The good news is that it’s not too late to get back on track. You may be six weeks behind, but you have 46 weeks still coming to really put your intentions in the right direction. 

The SMART Method to Achieving Your Goals

One of the most effective tools used to reach any objective is to make what’s known as SMART plans. This method helps you plan towards a greater chance of achieving your goals. 

Specific: Make your resolutions as detailed as possible. It’s rather broad to say I’m going to get fit this year, but it is quite something different to specify going to the gym, swimming, running, or joining a dance class. 

Measurable: There are a few ways you can interpret this one. One method would be, instead of saying I’m going to save more money, assign a measurement to it and specify an amount per month to deposit to a savings account. If you plan to spend less time on social media, limit yourself to a measurable amount, such as an hour per day. Most devices have parental controls nowadays, so hijack those methods created for kids and use them on yourself.

Attainable: Your resolutions must be as realistic as possible. It’s useless to resolve to travel more when you know you barely have enough cash to catch the bus to Hong Kong Island. However, you don’t want to have too easily achievable goals, or the whole ritual is pointless. Make your resolutions challenging, yet appropriate. 

Relevant: The resolutions should coincide with something you feel you have issues with. For example, it would be ridiculous to resolve to quit smoking if you are not a smoker in the first place. 

Time Sensitive: Putting a deadline on your goals is an important factor to success. It’s all well and good to commit to lose 5kg, but when? Resolve to lose those kilos within a three-month period, now you have something to focus on. Alternatively, the meaning of this strategic method doesn’t only have to mark the end point of a goal, it can also dictate the start time. Nobody wants to go through the trauma of trying to lose 5kg at the same time as quitting smoking, you’ll drive yourself mad. Plan your resolutions out over the year so that they are manageable to achieve individually, and not all lumped on top of each other at the same time. 

How’s this for a Plan?

Between Lunar New Year and Easter, I’m going to reduce beer

intake to 6 glasses per week. This in turn should help me in losing

that 5kg, which I’m also going to achieve by eating more fruit and

veg, less chips, and drinking less cola. 

I will go to the gym three times per week, and two days per week I

will join another interest classes, archery in July and August, and

calligraphy in September and October.

I’m going to save $2000 per month in a savings account for 10

months, so that next New Year, I can take a trip to Japan. 

I’m going to limit my time on social media to 10-minute sessions,

four times a day, and my posts will only be about reporting how

I am going towards my new year’s resolutions.

• Exercise more
• Eat healthier
• Lose weight
• Take a good holiday
• Drink less alcohol
• Spend less time on social media
• Save more money
• Learn archery & Chinese calligraphy

As you can see from this example, we have incorporated many of the resolutions into specific, manageable, timely, and relevant actions. At the same time, we have also included a couple hacks that will further help push us towards achieving our goals, such as including self-rewards, and fun things that you know you really want to do anyway. 

For some objectives such as getting fit, it’s all about creating the habit. Consistency in action and routine will help you form habits, and those habits will help you achieve your goals. Some days you will lack motivation to go through the routine, even if you don’t feel like working out, show up at the gym anyway. You’ll be surprised how your mood changes just by being there.

The ultimate method to keeping on track is telling your friends about your goals. Friends can be supportive, which goes a long way towards achievement. Friends, especially those on social media, will gladly be the first ones to remind you when you are falling short. Therefore, by telling your friends, and updating your social media, will help keep you under just enough pressure to make sure you stick to your plans and see those resolutions through to fruition. 

Lastly

Let’s not forget that there is always that 20% who have not fallen wayward. Good for you! Keep up the good work. And, if you can take some time to share your stories on our social media, we would love to hear from you. 

Happy New Year to all!