New Year’s Resolution

Erick Allas

Hello fellow Highlanders! We’re back in school and a new year is starting up!

The cold front hit us during our break. The cool breeze turned into ice and the snow had begun to fall. The Christmas cheer had dwindled and gone, our new toys and clothes already feel worn down. Then, the New Year came and is here to stay. We say we’ll change in the coming days, won’t we?

That’s what I’m back on this paper for! I’m here to give you that push towards your New Year’s Resolution and the motivation that you need. So, what am I going to tell you? Get up and do it? Not just that. That you can do it! You will do it.

Why? Think about it. Do you think that people become successful by simply doing nothing? That’s a rarity to see. Those who achieve great feats are often the ones who worked hard to get to the top. They say that they did nothing, but in reality they worked hard. That hard work became a habit, that habit became instinct and, as a result, it became their dynamic growth.

I’m not going to sit here and tell you what to do with your life. Just tell yourself that you could be constantly learning and growing to a better self.

We are human beings, we never stop learning. You set your own limits. You create the boundaries by saying, “No, I can’t do it.” Your moralities get in the way. Your thoughts get in the way. Ironically, you are in your own way. Words mean nothing in a place where you have the ability to change. Action is where the clock of life begins to turn.

Want to lose weight? Go jogging and stay on a calorie counting diet. It may hurt at first but once you get into the groove, you’ll be unstoppable. Want to dance? Move those feet! Shimmy to any groove. You’ll look stupid at first, trust me, but those moves will definitely improve as the days pass!

Let’s put it this way. I read that in a study, it takes an average of 66 days for something to become a habit. Start today. From today, count 66 days. Count, because you get to see your own developing lifestyle.

For about the first 22 days, you should tell the world about the new habit you are forming. Brag about it, make your friends become your drill sergeants to make you adhere to your plan and make sure to never put it off for the next day. That’s what quitters sound like. Add pressure to yourself. Think that going back on your word is something only old you would do. It’s harder to disappoint others than yourself.

From 22 to 44 days, do some self-assessment. Think to yourself: why you are doing this and what do you want to show from it? Whether you’re getting rid of a bad habit or picking up a good one, this will affect your lifestyle. It may be uncomfortable at first, but you’re already this far and feeling good, right? It may hurt a bit, but those battle scars prove your effort in life. If you can discover the root of why you are moving forward, you’ll be able to get to 66 days in no time!

For the final days of 44 to 66, think of it as the light at the end of the tunnel. You’re at the home stretch! Why are you doing this habit in the first place? You’ve forgotten, because the time getting there flew by! You’re feeling fantastic! A new you, a great you! You’ll look down to the end of the tunnel from where you’ve come from, and won’t believe that you came all this way. The old you seems so distant and dark now.

What to do from here? Throw a party of course! Celebrate it with the friends you bragged to. You have changed and have become a better person! Remember that not just the New Year, but that every new day is filled with endless amounts of possibilities. You can do many things in life, why not start that great New Year’s Resolution now? I believe in you! You can do it!