Are you resisting resolutions? Don’t set them!
It is OK to not have resolutions, intentions, goals or objectives. Some people thrive with these annual resets and some of us don’t.
Here are some thoughts to consider
Choice and autonomy
Doing things through a sense of compulsion or because everyone does it as opposed to real desire will likely set you up for failure from the get go. Doing things your own way, gives you a sense of autonomy which can provide you with a nice dose of feel-good dopamine.
Avoid disappointment
Many people don’t follow through on their resolutions. If you’ve set lofty goals in the past and not accomplished them, you might know that it can be a bit disappointing. And disappointment is a depressing killjoy. You can avoid the whole goal-disappointment cycle all together.
Tend to your self-trust
If you regularly set goals and don’t follow through, you begin to lose trust in yourself. Imagine a colleague who never completed what they agreed to – would you trust them with another task? Quite likely not. The same concept is true for you too – if you don’t follow through on goals that you set for yourself, just like with your unreliable colleague, you can lose trust in yourself. You might not really believe that you will reach your goal anyway, so why set yourself up for that?
Mental health
Some of us just need to tend to our mental health and just do what you can every day, day to day, rather than push ourselves further than we’re ready for.
One day at a time
It’s OK to just want to take each day as it comes.
You can still be future-focused
Not setting resolutions does not mean you don’t have your eye to the future, it just might mean that it’s not the right time for a reset; perhaps you are still exploring your pathways. That’s okay. A measured personal approach that feels right can bear more fruit than meaningless resolutions.
If you are one of those people who doesn’t like to set resolutions at the beginning of the year – be proud of yourself for choosing consciously and doing what is best for you.
Happy New Year – with or without resolutions!
For more ideas about how to stay motivated (whether you set goals or not), consider learning more about yourself and what motivates you in Rewired to Relate.