Reflecting on New Year's Resolutions

Anna tagged me with a few posers about New Year’s resolutions and David put forward a question about breaking New Year’s resolutions, so I am going to deal with both these in this post.

Anna posed the following:

When it comes to New Year’s Resolutions we seem to fall into four categories:

1) quite serious about them,

2) be flippant about them,

3) do it because we feel pressured to, or

4) do not do them.

Davids question is, "Have you ever broken a New Year's resolution?"

There is a saying about the best laid plans of mice and men, which is often quoted when things go pear shaped and I do believe that New Year’s resolutions fall into that category. New Year’s Resolutions are generally about change, but change only happens if you want it to happen and make it happen. In my experience I have never made any changes in my life with a New Year’s resolution.

I have never quite figured out why it is that New Year has become the time for making resolutions, often with the best of intentions, but somehow they fall away long before the year draws to an end.

Maybe it is that New Year symbolizes new beginnings, but if the new beginning does not lead to a different ending it has no value. Then there are the resolutions made in a state of alcoholic euphoria – maybe just before the maudlin stage – but these are invariably shoved aside with the empty bottles. Or could it be that this is a magical time of the year, when one’s resolutions will be fulfilled with little help from the “New Year’s Resolution Fairy”.

OK so I am a cynic when it comes to New Year’s resolutions. To those of you who keep your resolutions well done.

So David, “Have I ever broken a New Year’s resolution?” The answer is, “Yes, probably every one I have ever made”.

In my miss-spent youth I would make it my mission to get very plastered on Old Year’s Eve. My New Years resolution, when I woke up, with a major hangover would inevitably be, “I will never do that again”. Did I keep it? Nah.

By the way I have been a teetotaler for the past 21 years so I no longer need to make hangover resolutions.

There were of course others, but I can’t remember what they were. Those were generally made under the misguided belief that the “New Year’s Resolution Fairy” would do it for me. Well the fairy was horrible and always let me down.

I stopped making New Year’s resolutions many, many years ago.

As it happens New Year coincided with my recuperation, after my heart bypass surgery, but my resolutions were made before then (I make em when I need em). What I have very firmly resolved is that I will never be going back for seconds. This means that I have to undergo a complete lifestyle change. The question is will I have the discipline to stick to my new diet, to exercise more and to reduce my levels of stress, by stopping to “smell the roses” more often?

The New Year will be a test of my resolve and I will make a point of answering that question next year this time.

Some of my other resolutions are to be the best husband, father and grandfather I can be and never to become a grumpy old man – Sue has been instructed to beat me over the head with a club if I do.

Anna I will leave it to you to decide which poser applies to me.

If anyone wants to respond to the tag here it is:

RULES*Start Copy Here* When it comes to New Year’s Resolutions we seem to fall into four categories: 1) quite serious about them, 2) be flippant about them, 3) do it because we feel pressured to, or 4) do not do them. So, the purpose of this little game is to let us know which category you are in. Copy from “*Start Copy Here*” through “*End Copy Here*” and post it. Before "*End Copy Here*" tell us who you are, your site(s) (with link) and your New Year’s Resolution, or not. Then tag as many others as you like, from one to your entire blogroll, your choice. If you like, create an intro paragraph to your post that also acknowledges who tagged you.