It’s OK if you haven’t made any New Year resolutions

We’re thinking differently or have been forced to, and let’s cut ourselves some slack, for we’ve had quite a torrid year.

by

Purva Grover

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Published: Tue 12 Jan 2021, 11:14 PM

In any other year, this would have been that moment when we would have sat down to self-evaluate (and judge others) how we were faring on New Year resolutions. Calculations on the number of hours spent (missed) at the gym, reading progress on the books bought from the must-read shelves, the days gone without having a smoke, and more would have been the talk of the town. For, research claims that most people begin to give up on their resolutions by January 19, which is also by the way known as the Quitter’s Day. So yes, you are not alone, for approximately 80 per cent of the people, who resolve to make a tiny change or achieve a life-changing goal, give up by this time of the month, or latest by the second week of February.

But then this year is not just another year, this is 2021 burdened with not just the remnants of 2020, but also with the uncertainty of what lies ahead. This year, let’s admit it, we’ve been too afraid or rather smart enough not to resolve to travel more, amidst other things; for all that planning and committing in 2020 did boomerang effect on us, collectively.


We’re thinking differently or have been forced to, and let’s cut ourselves some slack, for we’ve had quite a torrid year. So, if you’ve not laid down goals to climb up the career ladder, lose extra inches, turn into a morning person or learn a new language — is okay, and once again, you are not alone. If there’s anything that we’ve learnt from the ongoing pandemic, it is to live one day at a time and forgive ourselves for things that are not in our control. To be able to commit to a goal and expect our spirits to stay high until the end of 2021 is not the kind of pressure we should put on ourselves or others. But if you, like me, still like the idea of having a plan, then you can set on a more relaxed route.

To start with, instead of looking ahead, reflect back. For you’ve spent enough time worrying about what will happen next, and spent little on appreciating yourself. Many of us lost a lot in the months gone by and were forced to walk on a path of self-discovery and realisations. From learning how to survive with salary cuts to finding hacks on how to remove the coffee stain, from going without seeing our loved ones for a year to playing Pictionary online — we did surprise ourselves as we kept ourselves sane, entertained and strong.


Why not use the days ahead to focus on the things you learnt about yourself? Not every year, month and week has to focus on self-improvement activities like learning how to play the violin, for instance. Simply resolve to be kind to others and kinder to yourself. Take a moment to understand what’s in your hands and attend to that. Even if you spend the next few months simply cutting corners, cleaning bathroom tiles, and popping vitamin-C pills — remember that it is enough of a resolve to commit to in 2021.

purva@khaleejtimes.com


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