Resolution Schmesolution

From the title of the post, it should be obvious that I don't believe in making New Year's Resolutions.  I'm certain I've mentioned it in previous years, but I've never really explained why.  It isn't because I don't believe in self-improvement.  Quite the opposite.  It's because I do.

Reason 1:  New Year's Isn't Real
I know it bothers some people when I say this, but New Year's isn't real.  There is no religious or culturally significant event that we mark on December 31st.  It astounds me that once a year, we throw huge parties that celebrate nothing happening.  The people that are offended by this statement usually tell me how it is the only holiday that everyone on earth celebrates.  That makes it sillier.  The entire world has agreed that there is something to celebrate when there is not.  Yes, the earth has successfully made a lap around the sun, but that is no more true on December 31 than it is on February 3 or September 9.  The fact that the calendar used to begin on April 1 proves that this is a completely arbitrary date.  Therefore, making resolutions in celebration of this non-event is silly.

Reason 2:  You are Knowingly Lying to Yourself
Starting on December 26th, all the morning shows start talking about resolutions and give tips on how to keep them for a little longer than you have before.  Articles start popping up on social media about why resolutions are so hard to keep.  Go the gym January 3, and you will find triple the number of people as if you visit on February 20.  I actually heard someone on the radio two days ago say, "Resolutions are meant to be broken."  While finding that statement bothersome, I also recognized that she's right.  People who make resolutions aren't actually operating with a belief that they will keep them.  They know that the average resolution is broken by the third week of January, so they congratulate themselves if they actually make until the beginning of February.

Reason 3:  Self-Improvement Should Happen All Year
When you identify a problem in yourself, start taking steps to fix that day.  Whether the recognition comes June 4 or October 12, immediately is the time to stop doing that bad habit or start doing a new one.  Putting it off until the new year is proof that you don't really want to address it.  If you actually wanted to lose weight, stop smoking, curse less, or save money, you would.  You would do it at the time you identified that there was a problem.

Self-improvement matters, and it matters too much to wait until the "new year" and make resolutions you have no intention of keeping.