2008 - Resolutions, anyone?
 

Here we are, it's 2008. The local newspapers all seem to be talking about new year's resolutions. Which makes me wonder...where do people really stand on this resolution stuff?

Questions:

1 - Does the fact that it's a new year make you especially motivated to start fresh with new goals, or are you just as likely to set goals whenever it suits you?

2- What are your new year's resolutions for this year?

3- How difficult or easy have you found resolutions to keep in the past?

4- Have you ever conquered something truly monumental (quit smoking, face a difficult past, challenge a fear, climb a mountain, etc) because you made it a new year's resolution?

Responses:

1- I'm usually so busy with finals, then holidays, to put the hours into introspection required to make a satisfying goal or resolution. It seems that I'm better at making goals and planning out how I'll accomplish those goals during those times when I'm less busy. For instance, the beginning of a new semester or the start of a vacation.

2- I have no new year's resolutions for this year. Unless you count the ever-present resolution to pass all those difficult classes.

3- For me, resolutions by nature must be a challenge. Otherwise they seem silly. Waking up to run or walk every morning at 7:30am, for instance. Seems easy at first, but after a week, it becomes more challenging.

4- I haven't completed anything monumental. Though I keep thinking that maybe sometime I will.

1) Stop murdering hookers
2) Bring about world peace, starting in Baltimore
3) Invent a cheese that glows, hopefully using the asian glowing kittens
4) Watch the whole OC series in one weekend (angst!)

Seriously:
learn to surf, get back into snowblading, learn at least 40 new recipes, finish burning fat, STUDY, continue campaigning for universal healthcare, make friends with Berkeley admins, 3000 good posts in TFP, and get back behind the wheel of a BMW (I miss mine and want another one!).

I'm sorry but I can't allow you to make a "murdering hookers" joke.

Jealous?

A little...

to be good...

i promise...

Well, I'm not starting off the year very well...



It can only get better after this.

To eat only when I'm hungry.

To visit the gym more often.

To buy what I need, not what I want.

To be a better husband and father.

My new signature line, my new philosophy. I will put it simply: No more excuses!

My resolution is to stop shoulding all over myself. I also want to learn to let go of the guilt I feel about past choices; the past is past and I have to live with the consequences, regardless. Between these two things, I hope to further control my anxiety.

Furthermore, I also want to establish a routine and stick to it.

Shoulding?

You know, negative self-talk, like "I should have done this", etc.

OH! Now I get it.

You're the first person to ever inspire me to look up "shoulding" in the dictionary because it sounds like a word.

Staying the course...

i've never had a new year's resolution, and my current goal doesn't really apply either. it just happens to be a new semester where i (hopefully) can devote the time to achieve my goal.

that being said, my goal is to get back into the shape i was in 2nd year.

I don't make new year's resolutions. I figure if I need to change something, then I need to change it when I realize I need to change it. I got nothing against those who do make them (bless your eyes, Valerie Bertinelli), I just don't dig on making life altering changes based on a calendar date.

1) i set goals when i need to.
2) i was thinking about it for almost a week now, and i still can't think of anything.
3) the only one i ever make (and never keep) is to stop smoking. which i like a little to much right now, which is why i didn't make one this year.
4) no. see 3.

#1 Resolution... strengthen my back so I cannot re-ingure myself again. And work on my upper body and core strength.

#2 ... pay off credit card debt and my car by December

#3 ... take Angela on a trip for Christmas to Mexico

#4 ... work one job for more hours than three jobs for less hours.

#5 ... try to call my family more often

1 - No. I'm a man fired out of the barrel of a gun. I'm always going fast.
2- Run a marathon before I get another year older. Slam college.
3- Easy. I'm a pretty dedicated guy with few negative vices.
4- No, I don't really use "resolutions" as motivation to do things I want to do. I like to use the "lifetime self merit badge" system.

1. Make all A's this semester.
2. If #1 fails, then pass all classes this semester.
3. Be Consistent (apparently now that I've done well, I have to be consistent at it before it means jack sh&t to my folks)

Questions and my answers:

1 - Does the fact that it's a new year make you especially motivated to start fresh with new goals, or are you just as likely to set goals whenever it suits you? I like to set goals whenever it suits me. I think making New Year's Resolutions adds unneeded pressure. It makes me feel like I have to get it accomplished before the year is up. I'd prefer to do it at my own pace and reach my goal whenever.

2- What are your new year's resolutions for this year? They are not necessarily resolutions, but rather hopes and dreams. I want to continue in my personal growth, I want to understand my children more and help them through whatever stage they are in at the time, I want my family to be happy again.

3- How difficult or easy have you found resolutions to keep in the past? I have never made any.

4- Have you ever conquered something truly monumental (quit smoking, face a difficult past, challenge a fear, climb a mountain, etc) because you made it a new year's resolution? I am constantly trying to conquer something, whether it is a new year's resolution or not. Like I said in #1 - resolutions add undue pressure, I'd rather not make any.

1) Whenever it suits me, or whatever the situation calls for.

2) To continue on with the exercise program I've begun so that I WILL pass the Border Patrol PT. In addition, I promise myself to continue the program regardless of how my Border Patrol experience pans out.

3) Didn't make too many in the past, but then I never made any Earth shattering ones either.

4) Nope, see number one.

my only resolution is to not make any resolutions...

/fail

1. no, whenever it suits me

2. i dont make resolutions.

3. i never kept them when i did make them which is why i dont anymore

4. all my monumental feats were accomplished at various times of the year. the new year was never the inspiration to change.

This is exactly my thought. I don't understand why some people have to wait until New Year to better themselves. NOW is always a good time.

I didn't realize you changed the OP while I was posting...
1) Absolutely. Each new year serves to remind one of the passage of time and that we're all mortal: there's a time limit to this game. It helps to bring things into perspective and forces one to prioritize. That's important.
2) See post #2
3) Some are difficult and long term, others aren't. Obviously the bigger ones take more effort to keep.
4) April of 1999 was the last time I did any illegal substance. I chose April because of that stupid 4/20 thing, but it actually was a resolution and I've stuck with it completely and totally without exception. It's something I take great pride in. Now I only have an occasional drink or cigar whereas 8 years ago I would very well be tripping balls or something stupid.

Don't do drugs. They're fucking expensive and they can really screw up your life.
http://files.myopera.com/Eddie_Lopez...e_You_Know.jpg

Right there with you..

And no, I don't make resolutions.

Four out of every five people will eventually break their resolution:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/1...d75&ei=5087%0A

I believe in long-term, sustainable, realistic goals. I don't believe in making a grand goal because some tradition says I should.

Something tells me George Bush made a New Year's Resolution. See above.

I only make tiny resolutions that would be easy to keep. Honestly though, most of the time I don't even make a resolution.

This year I did make one:
Learn how to play Hendrix's Little Wing by Thanksgiving.

I give it 11 months because it also requires me to learn how to play using a different style, which is using the thumb as the root note. 11 months should be more than enough time though.

Yeah, I didn't really hold with the whole New Year's resolution thing until I coincidentally started losing weight shortly after New Years. People assumed it must have been a resolution of mine to lose weight, and I have let them think that. It really was just me making up my mind that I was fat enough and something had to be done.

This time, my resolutions come up because the New Year is a good time for me to start working towards a new goal. Classes start next week, which gives me a good chance to start working on building that routine I want.

But after having a successful, sort-of resolution, I decided to set some goals and work towards those.

I really think timing is everything when it comes to goal-setting. I won't try getting beyond my current weight set point until spring, because I know my body has more or less decided it's reached its happy point for winter. New starts and fresh goals seem to go along with one another, but I wonder how many people actually get a new start with the New Year? Very few, I imagine.

I think new years resolutions are kind of stupid. If you really wanted to do something or be a better person you would do it anyways. Why does one day on a man made calender make all the difference? I think if you are too lazy to start in december or prior then why would you suddenly change your mind because the year changed?

I usually don't make them.... But this year I kinda did and haven't thought about it since... and ironically, have been able to keep the resolution. I'm sure had I thought about it everyday and kept reminding myself I wouldn't have made it past hour 2. Hope I didn't just jinx myself. But the resolution is/was to stop pulling my hair out. Literally. Very bad habit of pulling hairs out of my head which doesn't tend to look so hot. Meh. Hopefully I'll follow through.

I resolved a long time ago to never make resolutions.

I have this Excel spreadsheet named "2005.xls" It's got a tab for big life goals, little specific life goals, steps I think I need to take to reach those goals, and of course material stuff I covet (forgive me, it's a a cardinal trait for my Zodiac sign).

2005... most of the stuff is unrealized, still on the list, still "in development." For this year? I'll join a gym close to work, start commuting (partially) by bike as the days get longer, take better care of my eyes, visit doctors more often, probably go back into therapy, budget and save more money, spend less, start writing again, read a damned book once in a while.

I honestly want to be happy with the life I have, for starters. Or get real about what I need to change to be happy.

1 - I'm just as likely to set new goals whenever I get the motivation, but I think the feeling of having the year "end" kinda puts everything into perspective.

2- To continue cooking more at home instead of eating out, and to stick to using my Savings account for what it was made for.

3- I stuck to my resolutions once I stopped making up random ones, and started to really get serious about it.

4- During my annual checkup my Dr told me I was overweight, my cholesterol was high and I had a fatty liver. The following year, I had lost 40 lbs and my cholesterol and liver were back to normal levels. I think it helped that the checkup was the week after New Year's, so my resolution was still fresh in my mind. Anomalies like "fatty liver" were what really freaked me out, and pushed me to take care of my body.

At over 54% thinking that resolutions are bunk, I am once again proud of the cynicism of TFP and would like to think I helped to inspire some of it.
Huh. One of the first things I did this year was decide to do more drugs.