Editors Note: Introducing Dr. Anesu: A Distinguished Academic;
We are honored to welcome Dr. Anesu, an accomplished academic with a wealth of knowledge and expertise. Dr. Anesu has earned recognition for her outstanding contributions to academia, showcasing a passion for research and a commitment to advancing knowledge in her field.
In this article, titled “New Year and New You?,” Dr. Anesu explores the profound implications of embracing change and personal growth as we embark on a new year. Drawing from her extensive academic background, she skillfully intertwines research findings with practical insights, offering readers a thought-provoking perspective on the potential for transformation in the coming year.
Dr. Anesu’s engaging writing style and ability to convey complex ideas in an accessible manner make her work not only informative but also inspiring. As we delve into the article, we anticipate gaining valuable insights that will empower us to approach the new year with renewed vigor and a commitment to personal development.
Join us in exploring Dr. Anesu’s enlightening take on ushering in the new year as an opportunity for self-discovery and positive change. We are confident that her expertise will provide our readers with a captivating and intellectually enriching experience.
Dr. Anesu here…
Year after year, we usher in the new year with resolutions. These often encompass tasks and ‘to-dos’ that will make us and our lives better. New year’s resolutions can come in a myriad of forms and can be written lists or vision boards. These lists range from the practical to the aspirational, the easily attainable, to downright likely impossible. Likely impossible? Well, never say never, right? However, many of us fail to meet these resolutions, and for those whose birthdays are not on the first of January, we even push resolutions to our birthdays. After all, it’s another new year and a fresh start.
But do new year resolutions have any relevance? Are they worth making and trying to stick to? Well, it depends. I personally believe in goal setting and view resolutions as such. Rather than saying for example, ‘I resolve to go to the gym’, or ‘my resolution this year is to buy a car’, say instead, ‘my goal is to go to the gym’. And when viewed like that, goal setting methods can be applied. I have been pondering what makes people fail to meet their resolutions and three reasons spring to mind as follows:
- The type of resolution.
- Lack of steps to achieve your resolution.
- Difficulty cultivating habits to meet your resolutions.
Now let me unpack how I understand the above reasons.
I have seen various types of goals, ranging from buying a vehicle, going to the gym, finding a new job or starting one’s own business etc. Depending on the state of your finances, the first might actually be aspirational, and not easily attainable without a significant shift in the existing state of things.
The second, getting to the gym is possible with time and a small financial commitment. Additionally, if one cannot afford the gym fees, there are numerous ways of getting exercise, ranging from online classes (think Zumba, aerobics), to running and jogging.
For the last two, which I have seen people mention, time commitment and tenacity are important since it takes a lot of time to tailor a CV to each new job. One also needs emotional strength to accept rejections since many have to send hundreds of CVs to secure an interview, much less the job! The same applies to starting a business. It has its ups and downs. Of course, there are many other resolutions people make and some are quite fun!
The general idea is that you must be practical to meet your goals. Rather than just setting goals, consider how you might go about achieving those goals before setting them. That way, you have a higher chance of success.
Now let us move on to the matter of pathways to achieving your goals. Whatever goals you have set for yourself, you have put in place practical steps to attain them. For instance, if the goal is to make a big purchase or travel, you have to put money aside and start saving. If you must adjust your monthly spending to save, you need the discipline to follow through. I will talk more about discipline further on.
For many people, I imagine, resolutions involve a change in lifestyle, and this might not be obvious at first, or it might be quite daunting when you start. I know people who resolved to drink at least 2 litres of water per day. And while that might seem simple, for those who have not cultivated a habit, it is easy to ply oneself with water at the end of the day, after forgetting to pace oneself through the day. Basically, you have to plan. After all, as they say, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
Now let’s talk about cultivating habits and staying the course or should I say discipline, discipline, discipline! To meet your resolutions, you must put in the work. A study showed that it takes on average 66 days to form a new habit (not 21 days or 30 days see https://www.healthline.com/health/how-long-does-it-take-to-form-a-habit). However, depending on the habit, it can take between 18 and 254 days.
Taking the average of 66 days, it means that from the 1st of January, your new habit will likely become automatic in March! Yes, 3 months into the year. Some resolutions are hard, whether these involve taking up a new positive habit or dropping a bad one.
In terms of cultivating habits, taking things one step at a time, setting small attainable goals, and celebrating yourself when you achieve a milestone is a good way to go. If you do this, in no time, you will meet your resolutions and be on your way to being the new you as you planned at the start of the year.
Do you make new year’s resolutions? If you do, you can share your resolutions in the comments. Let others know what worked and what did not work. Better still, on December 31, 2024, let us know if you followed through with the resolutions you made. Keep us posted in the comments…
Dr. Anesu.