RESOLUTIONS. We all make them, break them and the cycle repeats itself every year without fail. We want to lose weight, eat right, save money — they're all well-meaning desires to wanting to improve, and more often than not, new beginnings are something we all want.
But here's the awful truth. Four out of five people who make New Year's resolutions will eventually break them. In fact, a third won't even make it to the end of January. It's no surprise that late January, long the graveyard of New Year's resolutions, is once again full of dead promises.
Can we make resolutions that last? Or should we give up this tradition for good?
Tune in to the latest episode of Sunday Vibes @ NST podcast and find out what our hosts think!
The Sunday Vibes podcast is now on Audio+. Download the app to listen to this episode and all future episodes, as well as to access other great content from the Media Prima Audio stable. For this episode, go to https://player.whooshkaa.com/episode?id=941915.
BROWNIE POINTS
Elena Koshy, Senior writer and host
CHANGE. If only it was as simple as a campaign slogan. Then again, Malaysian politics or just about every politician across the globe has taught us that even campaign slogans are as fleeting and empty as our resolve to change every time a new year beckons!
So yes, we all make promises to ourselves we can't seem to keep. I know I've disappointed myself again and again. But each time the year draws to a close, I find myself scarfing a cheese tart and writing earnestly in my journal about how I'm going to dodge doughnuts, lose weight and be that lovely, slim Malayalee girl my mother keeps hoping I will magically morph into.
New Year's Eve is a time to set goals: to eat better, to save more money, to work harder, to drink less. It's Day 1 on the road to a "new you." But this road, as we all know, is difficult to follow. Humans are notoriously bad at resisting temptation, especially (as research confirms) if we're busy, tired or stressed.
So, no. My resolve just about wanes before the end of January. There are deadlines to meet and that lovely box of chocolates I received as a gift over Christmas isn't about to eat itself without my help. I can't give it away, I'm too nice a friend!
So, I simply cross out that resolution and try my best to hang on to the rest of my resolutions the best I can. I know I'll be keeping with the tradition of making my annual New Year resolutions no matter how many times I fail to stick to my resolve. At the very least I should get brownies — I mean brownie points — for my sunny optimism… or don't I?
LOOKING FOR PRINCE CHARMING
Intan Maizura Ahmad Kamal, Editor and host
When I was younger, I used to be terribly gung-ho about New Year resolutions. In fact, the end of every year was an excuse to purchase a brand-new journal in which I would enthusiastically pen my well-meaning "resolves" for the year that was coming.
"What's your resolution this year?" "Eh, faster make your resolutions; it's almost January!" "What, you haven't thought about your resolutions?" Oooh, I can still hear those words uttered to me by friends over the years; friends, who like me, were BIG on resolutions.
But reflecting back, I can't recall any ONE resolution that I actually stuck with. My good "resolves" had a shelf-life of roughly four months — for the simple reason that I had neither the energy nor desire to expense any more efforts on them. My simple reasoning was always that life was too short not to have my cream cakes!
My new year resolutions tended to be quite similar from year to year — lose weight, read more books, earn more money, save more money, travel the world, and find myself a "Prince Charming". Of these, I think I probably got one down pat. The rest? Hmmm!
As I've gotten older, my list has become shorter. Not that I've run out of resolves (far from it); more the fact that I finally had an epiphanic moment not too long ago that for resolutions to work, one needs to be more specific. When you put something vague out to the universe, the universe would just lob back "vague" to you.
It's important to choose "goals" that are attainable and relevant to you. Start with small steps and don't beat yourself up for the stumbles. Just start all over again. Never give up. Also, review your motivations. Are you doing it for yourself? Or for others.
Oh, and talking about "Prince Charming". If you tell the universe you want to meet your Prince Charming, do specify that it's Prince William you're after, ya? Or else you might just end up with Prince Charles. I would know!
ATTAINABLE GOALS
Ahmad Mustaqim Nordin, Public Relations Executive, Guest Host
The word "resolution" is derived from the Latin word resolutionem which means "a process of reducing things into simpler forms," or in laymen's term, to "loosen" or "untie." To be honest, I personally love resolutions! I've been creating them since I was a child.
But recently, the enthusiasm for it has somewhat dampened, especially since it hit me just how commercialised this "practice" has become. We ink so many new hopes every time a new year rolls in. But with each passing year, and countless failures towards realising the "new year, new me" aspirations, I'm starting to see things in a different light.
Instead of wishing what I could become, I've started writing down what I could do differently. For example, rather than jotting down "I want to eat healthily", I've become more specific. It's now "one nasi lemak per week."
Resolutions are a great reminder for us to take a step back and reflect on our year. More importantly, we need to dig deep and ask ourselves what could or should we do to live a better version of OURSELVES? Not the version that other people want, but the version that best fits "us".
So, for 2022, instead of writing down what you want to do, why not jot down the habits you want to lose? Understand your intentions and break down that list to small and measurable steps. After all, there's only so much we can do in just a year!
IG: @ahmuseen (https://www.instagram.com/ahmuseen/)
