Intentions for the New Year

Welcome to 2011.

It’s a new decade, time for something different, time for a change. Now is the time of year when people pick out their resolutions. Topics for change can range from being nicer to people to dropping a 10-year smoking habit.

In my opinion, something is wrong with the word “resolution.” It seems to add so much pressure to what, in its simplest form, a New Year’s resolution should be — a goal. In fact, I think we should just rename the whole concept. Let’s start calling them “New Year’s intentions” instead.

At first, I didn’t understand why people would wait until the New Year to better themselves. Why is any other day so different from the first of January? Now I have learned a new year offers a sense of beginning where everything resets to 1.

Here’s something you might want to ponder. What chance does an intention or goal have without a plan? I believe this should be the first step in setting a resolution. Don’t set ridiculous goals, like vowing never to eat a certain food, or excessively broad goals, like vowing to get organized.

Your goals need to be specific and outcomes clear. In order to succeed, a plan of action is essential. If people want to quit smoking, then they should decide how they want to do that. Maybe that’s where many fail when it comes to New Year’s intentions. They forget to actually establish the means to reach their goals.

As tedious as it may sound, writing your goals down can actually help. Having a hard copy of what you need to do can set it in stone and really help keep you motivated. And remember, another thing about goals is that you will definitely not get them accomplished in one day. Give yourself a break. Have patience with yourself. Building a new habit takes time and repetition.

You also don’t have to do it alone. Tell others you trust about what you want to do. When you set New Year’s intentions you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Seek information that will help you succeed. Speaking of giving breaks, what do you do if you fail at first?

I think as flawed humans, when a resolution doesn’t work out right away we can have a sense of failure and give up. Well, I have a word to say to that — don’t. Everyone makes mistakes.

When you stumble, think of the amount of self-appreciation that you will have when you finally achieve your resolution. Be adamant, persistent and even stubborn. We have the will power, so use it! Trust yourself. When it is all over and done, the feeling of momentum can help you move onto more challenges and you will feel like you are on top of the world.

Ashlee Twiford is a junior at Burchell High School.