New year, new you? Are resolutions worth making? (Face-off)
January 7, 2016
New Year’s Resolutions: Spreading Inspiration
This is the time of year when people put down the snacks, turn off the TV and try to change their lives for the better. Personally, I love this time of year: everyone has a positive, fresh attitude. They have these attitudes either because it’s a new year and they can leave the past in the past or they have decided to create a resolution to follow. Resolutions are good place to start when you want to reach a goal, long or short term.
Resolutions are a great way to start a new year because you decide to take control of your life to get where you want to be. The nice thing about resolutions is that when other people have a positive attitude, it spreads. Whenever someone talks to me so passionately or I see on social media how well someone is doing with their resolutions, this makes me feel like I should keep going with my own. I find a lot of my inspiration through others and when I see that they are doing well, I make sure to let them know I’m there supporting them.
People should have at least one resolution in order to keep their life interesting. When you challenge yourself it pushes you to not let yourself down. I have a hard time putting my pride aside when it comes to admitting defeat, so I follow through with the challenges I give myself in order to feel content with the result. If you give yourself a goal and you reach it, just imagine how you could branch out and do more to better yourself/everyone.
Resolutions create an environment where people have goals and are less focused on their troubles and more focused on doing their best. A lot of people’s troubles come from other people and it is like a big circle of tension, but if you take out a single source of tension, it lessens. And we all could use a little less stress in our lives.
I believe those who choose to make a resolution also benefit others with their progress and their attitude. Whenever I am not particularly happy or sad and someone around me is gushing with glee, it brightens my mood for a little bit. And when I am cheerful ,I will often talk to others and joke, making them happy too and soon a group of us is laughing and joking, all because one person had spread the happiness.
Stick to your resolutions: They will help you develop skills you can use later like moderation, drive or commitment. In your journey to achieve your goal you will inspire others, which encourages them to do better. Resolutions are not a shameful thing to have, especially if you are breaking a bad habit. Even if others say it is unrealistic, keep going and see how far you get. You might even prove them wrong.
This is Sheyenne, a first year member of Periscope. She is working in Perspectives as a writer and editor. With many leadership qualities her time in...
New Year’s Resolutions: Not as motivational as they seem
Every year, about 45% of Americans make a list of what they wish to accomplish in a year. These New Year’s resolutions are meant to motivate people to get their life together or to stop a bad habit. But do they really motivate you?
The definition of a resolution is “a firm decision to do or not to do something.” Many resolutions don’t make it past January before they’re forgotten. Forgotten, at least, until next year when the inevitable question arises: Did you go through with your resolutions?
Researchers at the University of Scranton recently did a study that proved that only 75% of resolution makers made it through the first week. By June, halfway through the year, only 40% of the initial group kept up with their goals. The other 60% had given up or simply forgotten to take action to reach it.
One common goal is to lose a certain amount of weight in a year. Many gyms are filled in the beginning of January when the goals are fresh in people’s minds, but it’s the same every year: People move on from the matter and forget about it until the year is almost over, and the goal is unaccomplished.
Still, the same resolutions make their appearance every year, “but for real this time.” When it doesn’t get done, it just becomes a reminder of something that isn’t going right in one’s life. These get brought up around the holiday season when everyone is supposed to be cheerful, but it becomes difficult with failed goals on your mind.
New Year’s resolutions are reminders of the failed goals and bad habits you were supposed to break, but never got around to. Who would put themselves through the pain of being reminded of what they failed at around the holidays?
Disclaimer: Articles designated as “Editorial” represent the views and opinions of the author, not the 2015-2016 Periscope staff, CHS Administration, or the CHS student body.
Kenny Brenizer is a junior and the perspectives editor for the 2016-2017 Periscope staff. She does no sports. She has no hobbies. She just wants cats and...