Resolutions: Motivation or Disappointment?

By Lily Wiesnegger

How are your resolutions going? For many, this is the time of year when it can feel like those goals just won’t happen. Let’s check in on that list of resolutions to see if they are contributing to progress or hindering happiness, and maybe make some revisions. 

Every year, we create goals that have the potential to set unrealistic standards for our lifestyles. They mostly revolve around fitness and body image, as that is something we deem as “needing fixing” and easily changeable. However, these resolutions can become stressful and disappointing if they are not met quickly. Now that we are over a month into the new year, it’s time to review our resolutions and decide if they are a source of stress or motivation.

Here is your action plan: “vibe check” your resolution list! If you feel like you are achieving something and it’s making you happy, stick to it. Resolutions are doing their job when providing motivation and benefitting your life. But, if you feel bogged down or way behind your expected benchmark, revise your resolution. A resolution that creates disappointment in yourself is not a resolution worth keeping; you are doing your best. 

A tip when creating or revising your resolutions: make it measurable and realistic. For example, a staple resolution is “to workout more.” What is “more?!” This resolution immediately creates pressure to just do MORE of something. If you integrate a measurable variable, it is easier to track progress and see if you are achieving what you had hoped to achieve. For example, if fitness truly is your goal, schedule out two or three days a week to workout, and go from there. Make sure this is something realistic for your lifestyle and schedule, so you’re not immediately setting yourself up for failure. When we leave it open-ended, it creates a never-ending cycle of disappointment, because we are never reaching a true benchmark. It is always more, more, more!

Repeat after me: my progress does not define me. I am doing my very best at what I am passionate about. I will not hold myself to impossible standards that create disappointment and stress. Living in a pandemic is hard, and I’m still here.