(ThyBlackMan.com) So, 2019 is almost to a close and chances are that there are some New Year’s resolutions you didn’t keep. This isn’t judgment, I kept very few of my own. That said, I try to keep them very small and very few. I’m sure a number of you did manage to keep some of your resolutions for health, wealth, family, and you-time but here’s a few tips to keep it up or achieve more resolutions in 2020.
Keep It Simple, Stupid
Several of my teachers drilled this into my head when I would try to do a lot to make my projects or writing appear more impressive. In doing so, I’d be too drained to keep up that volume and quality of work consistently. Projects would get abandoned and anything I was writing would take a while to get done.
In keeping it simple, you focus on something that is attainable with little effort and can be maintained throughout the year. This results in whatever actions you’re doing to achieve this goal becoming a something of a habit—a positive one. You could also focus on something that is a small part of larger goal.
For instance, say that your goal is to go to Paris before the end of the year. However, you don’t have globetrotter money to just blow on a trip outside of the country. Saving money is an obvious step and you can roll through the year saving up for a passport, airfare, travel fare, and spending money by looking at what you blew money on last year and working towards doing less of that this year.
As a matter of fact, you don’t even have to eliminate wasteful spending, just dial it back significantly. In doing so, you might even find more characteristics that you didn’t know you had before. You might become more assertive when people try to persuade you to do something that requires you going into your pocket. Your willpower might hit another level and you can refrain from impulse buying.
Before you know it, Paris in 2020 becomes Paris every year, and Paris every year becomes Paris in the first half and Sao Paulo in the second half. Because you’ve developed stronger habits through baby steps.
Oh, and Keep It Short
One thing people trip up on with New Year’s resolutions is having a list of things they want to do. It makes since as there are 52 week and 366 days—because it’s a leap year, where’s all my leap year folks—in 2020. That said, keep it short this year. Actually, keep it short and keep it simple. If you do that, you’ll achieve a lot more of your resolutions this year and feel less defeated that you only achieved two out of like…ten of them.
A shorter list of resolutions might seem like cheating and I’m sure you’ll be penalized by the Resolutions Laws Committee—not an actual governing body—but it’s easier on you overall. If you need a guideline to achieve things for the new year, try splitting them in half and give yourself six months to tackle each half. Whatever wasn’t achieved just move it to next year.
Don’t get boxed and stacked by trying to catch up on your resolutions or trying to achieve too much at once. You will likely already have a lot on your plate with just work and life that giving yourself goals to hit and the risk of missing them can trip you up.
Just Drop New Year’s Resolutions
There have been years that I’ve done this. Just don’t make any resolutions and head into the next year. You’re clear-minded on goals and can just tackle the year as you see fit. I will say, you might feel aimless at times, I’ve been there, but other times you’ll be amazed by what you achieved that year.
You’ll think that you just went through the year trying to live life and do better for yourself and you’ll experience growth, run into new opportunities, develop new skills, meet new interesting and beneficial people—and it’s all because you didn’t try hard to meet goals.
Who knows, you could probably build you 2021 resolutions off just blasting through or coasting through 2020. Whatever method or path you take for the year ahead, have a happy 2020 and I hope it’s a fruitful year for you and yours.
Staff Writer; M. Swift
This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.