It’s so beautiful to see people step into the New Year with so much hope and refreshed minds. Everyone leaping for joy amidst shouts of HAPPY NEW YEAR. There is jubilation in the air in spite of the heaviness and losses of the previous year. No matter what life throws at humans, sometimes it takes only a little nudge to put their minds at rest and make them dream of a brighter and better tomorrow. Whereas there are those people who do not believe that there is anything special about a new year; to them it is just another day on the calendar. Hence, they do not attach too much importance to this change in date, popularly called the New Year.
Did you know that the 2020 lockdown, however frustrating it was, still did most people some good? It gave people some compulsory New Year resolutions to pursue, which I’m sure you can make a list of all the mandatory things you wouldn’t have settled for were it not for the lockdown. We had some interesting makeovers, some became yoga masters overnight and compulsory fitness addicts, after consuming too much calories and fatty foods. Others became movie addicts, seeing a new movie series every three days. I remember a friend who always called me to ask if I wanted new movies. While some became frequent nap takers and turned their nights into a full cinema marathon, many came out creative with interesting and funny tiktok videos all over the world. Yet, some people acquired new skills in various crafts. The lockdown, in a sense, was an example of man proposes but God disposes. As far as making New Year resolutions go, in 2020 people’s initial plans were changed and new goals were offered them by the pandemic.
I remember driving home with my uncle after one crossover night when he asked his 12-year-old daughter what her new year’s resolution was and without thinking she blurted out with so much confidence, “I want to be happy and have peace of mind.” Interesting, right? Knowing the kind of person her father is, I expected her to list out detailed information about what her New Year resolution would be. But on the other hand, I felt she had little knowledge about what a New Year resolution entails.
Coming up with new year resolutions has nothing to do with age or status. It is just a personal decision one can take for checks and balances in order to monitor one’s progress and stay guided based on the outline crafted for the beginning of a certain year. Don’t get it twisted, documenting or not documenting has no effect on achieving your goals. It’s just a personal preference.
Below are various opinions got from people on whether or not having New Year resolutions have an effect on one’s achievements in a year:
“Not entirely. Over the years, people have become superstitious about the New Year. They make a resolution but tend to forget about it days later. A new year is just another day; every day comes with its challenges and hence the need to be conscious about the human objective and actualisation of goals set at every point in time.
80% of New Year resolutions are either forgotten or eroded by unpredictable nature of our world, which makes us to set goals, reset and aim again. Achieving goals are personal and has to do with motivation and dedication in spite of what day of the year it might be.
Margret, Ibadan Nigeria.
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“I’m not sure. We’ll have to take a couple of people’s resolutions at the beginning of the year and measure at the end of the year to see if it did impact their achievements in that year.
That aside, I think New Year resolution is a compass; it shows you where you’re going. But as the year is uncertain, you may tweak the resolution as situations demand.”
Stephen, Abuja.
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Personally, writing new year resolutions keeps me focused and on track. I may end up not achieving all I have written down, but it is like a guide for me to know the goals I’d love to achieve. And anytime I feel myself slipping, I can always go back to read what I have written in order for me to stay on track. I wouldn’t say new year resolution is a determinant of my achievements in a year because at the end of the day, I may end up achieving what was not written down. But I can answer that maybe it might have an impact on one’s achievements.
Ibukun, Maiduguri.
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Well, I’ll say it all depends on the person making the new year resolution. On one side, it helps to keep us on track, like it gives you a sense of direction and focus, since you’ve penned down the things you want to achieve in the New Year.
But the problem comes with why you made the resolution in the first place. If it is because you really want to achieve those things, then it will help keep you going, even when you get off track, whenever you see your resolutions, it will help you. So, I think that with the right intentions and determination to actually work at it (and writing it down), a new year resolution can have an impact on one’s achievements in a new year.
Josephine, Yenagoa.
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Never…It’s just a mindset. It feels good to plan but I believe you can decide and do what you want at any given time.
Justice, Uganda.
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No, it doesn’t have major impact on someone’s achievements in a year. Because most people actually have new year resolutions every 1st of January, but throughout the year, they tend to forget about those resolutions and move with the flow of life.
Jojo Mawuta, Congo.
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As you can see from the above responses, while some agree with having a New Year resolution, some think it’s a waste of time as you might end up just going with the flow; which is to say, why put yourself through the stress of whether or not to draft the New Year goals? Seems like a waste of time to some. On the other hand, having a well-documented New Year resolution is not a bad idea as it can serve as a guide for you.
Surfing through the internet, I saw a lot of videos and guidelines on what your New Year resolution should be and tips on how to achieve them. For those who wish to have a New Year resolution but don’t know how to put it in words, worry not because you have a friend that knows everything – Google. It will save you a lot of brainstorming. Have a fabulous 2021 with or without a resolution!