“He felt that his whole life was some kind of dream and he sometimes wondered whose it was and whether they were enjoying it.” Our dreams, our aspirations- they’ve all become part of the clich? of the New Year. Whenever we think of January 1st, we think of the things that we know in our mind we would like to, or should, change. And each year, most people try to reason that they will finally change their life for the better, yet each year they return back to their old ways. This, usually, works as a cycle that continues year to year until finally, one day, we realize that we can’t change anymore. My difficulty is that I’m not sure I can rationalize why people constantly take this route with their ‘resolutions.’ How can we say we have resolve or determination, yet only a week later we go back to our everyday routines? This is a question that I believe should plague mankind but everyone’s always too busy complaining about their lives.
I know that many people make New Year’s resolutions and complete them successfully. The problem is that they account for quite a small amount of people. The fact is that most of the resolutions we make are attainable. It’s just that we let the weaknesses prevail. Many times, I’ve been asked why I think it’s so easy to make things better for ourselves so I’ll explain with an example from a life that I know best- my own. In school, I’m always determined to get good grades and keep up with extra activities. This is why I spend as much time as I feel I need to get ready for tests after working hard on school teams. I usually get home late from school and then have to go do homework and study for tests. Rest usually isn’t a part of my day. This determination is the only way I know to succeed. I feel that if I am capable of having resolve, I see no real reason for others to be lazy with their goals.
I’ve also been asked why it bothers me so much that other people never change the things in their lives that they don’t like. And I suppose that this is also a valid question. It bugs me that people decide, ahead of time, that they don’t like something and then almost purposely stay the same. It’s as though people decide to keep things the same either to avoid things unknown to them or just so they can have something to complain about to everyone else.
The New Year represents a rebirth- a new beginning. It shouldn’t be something that only lasts as a mere necessity. It should be our opportunity for change. If you know that you’re usually not driven to change, then why not take the first excuse you find to do so? This upcoming New Year is your hope- it’s your opportunity to finally accomplish the things you’ve been meaning to do for your entire life. This is the year we all stop making excuses to justify the weaknesses in ourselves. This is the year we finally accomplish our ever-so-demanding New Year’s resolutions because we have to realize our chance may be gone next year. My hope for you all is that this year is a year filled with happiness and prosperity beyond measure. All you now have to do is resolve to want the same for yourself.
Author: Atina Dsouza- USA