[reworked since it’s first publication in March 2022]
A new year will soon be born, full of unexpected pleasures and challenges, full of potential, full of opportunities to live the life we want. How many of us make New Year’s resolutions? If you have ever made resolutions, how did it work for you? Were they sustainable? Did they last a week, a month? Why do resolutions often fail to stick?
Psychotherapist, Amy Morin, writes, “As a psychotherapist, I've seen countless people create positive change in their lives. But it's rare that I see anyone change their lives after making a New Year's resolution.Think about it. When was the last time you heard someone say, ‘I lost 50 pounds last year thanks to my New Year's resolution!’ or ‘I finally paid off all my debt after I created that New Year's resolution?’
Depending on which study you read, an estimated 88 to 92 percent of people fail to keep New Year's resolutions. Yet, despite the dismal probability of success, most people continue to declare a new year will bring about new habits.
If you want to make [2025] your best year, think beyond the resolution. These alternatives will help you go on more adventures, connect with amazing people, learn new things, and grow stronger” (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-mentally-strong-people-dont-do/201712/5-alternatives-to-traditional-new-years-resolutions). Her article is worth reading in total.
Several years ago, my brother shared an approach to a new year that I have planned and used: monthly or quarterly experiments. Each month or quarter, I try out something. If it was beneficial, I considered taking it in as a change in my life. If it wasn’t something I wanted to keep in my life, I let it go after the set time. Here are some examples of my past monthly or quarterly experiments and the results:
No social media It was a strange experience and a worthy experiment. I realized how much wasted time I spent on several social media platforms. I saw how mood-altering social media was. I decided to drop lots of “friends” and unfollow some groups and extraneous adverts. I extended the monthly experiment through the next month, then, I decided to pop back in to social media, but not invest as much time as I had before I took a break from it.
Capsule Wardrobe January - March, I committed to the ‘Project 333’ https://bemorewithless.com/ . It was a powerful experiment that has forever changed my wardrobe and clothing buying.
Walking 2 miles a day I chose a winter month to do this experiment because I knew it would be extra challenging to walk in the cold weather. I ended up joining the YMCA to walk indoors on a treadmill and that got me going to the ‘Y’ for water aerobics, yoga, and other classes. By the way, if I had made a resolution to run a marthon, I would have failed, but, walking only 2 miles a day was doable and may have led to another experiment that may have led to eventually running a marathon. People who know me well know I loathe running and will never commit to running a marathon...walking one perhaps one day.
Read for pleasure Even though I love to read, this was a tough one because, at the time, I was a college English professor so my job included reading, reading, reading papers. Still, I realized how much I missed reading for reading pleasure. Because I’m a writer, reading is essential.
Cooking every day This was a great experiment because I learned I like a combination of cooking at home and going out to eat. And, I discovered how much money I was spending on groceries vs. eating out
No complaining This was, surprisingly, a difficult experiment. It showed me how much I complained and how complaining seemed to be the glue that held together some friendships. I do complain sometimes now, but I know why I do it rather than it being an unconscious act.
No alcohol This was easier than I thought, and the results were clear thinking, naturally luminous skin, and no puffiness under my eyes. I never went back to alcohol and feel better as a result.
I don’t make resolutions anymore; I commit to monthly or quarterly experiments. Short term experiments work much better for me and for others. Are you interested in giving short-term experiments a try rather than attempting to commit to long-term goals and resolutions? What experiments will you apply in 2025? Have you tested out this process in the past? If so, how’d it go/what did you like/what did you not like?
Please share your thoughts, insights, and suggestions by either commenting below this post if you are reading this on social media, or, if you are reading this through your email subscription, please share, by emailing me, at reimaginelife22@gmail.com.
Thank you for reading and participating in this blog essay; I invite you to subscribe to my blog at www.reimaginelifecoach.com.
Comments