We Got to Plan to Fail

History has recorded that around 4,000 years ago the ancient Babylonians were the first peoples to have made New Year’s resolutions. The Babylonians were known to make promises to their gods that consisted of resolving debt and returning any items that they had borrowed. They believed that if one honored their word then the gods would ensure that they would have a good year, but if they did not, they risked a fate that no would wish on their worst enemy.

What will you do differently? What will you do the same? What will you do more of? What, if anything, will you change? Every year, leading up to the beginning of a new year, people create resolutions to themselves that are framed around a strong desire to improve their lives and ultimately get closer to their higher self. These life changing resolutions often consist of either changing a habit or personal trait that they do not like about themselves, meet a personal goal or do things that will improve one’s overall life. According to a YouGov survey, the three most popular New Year’s resolutions are, exercise more, lose weight and save money. Unfortunately, the YouGov survey also says that by mid-February, 80% of the people who created resolutions at the beginning of the year lose their resolve to accomplish the things that they promised themselves that they would. This high failure rate begs a question of, why? Why do we begin the year with such a feeling of endless possibilities and then a few months later hope is lost? Maybe one needs to look at how we prepare ourselves for the times when the resolve to accomplish our resolutions start to wane. In mid-February, what will you say to yourself when you realize that you broke your promises to yourself? Will you be nice to yourself? Will you be forgiving? How will you value yourself enough to validate that you are flawed, a human being, and that you truly deserve another chance to keep your promises. How will you motivate yourself to get up and try again? What will you need to feel motivated? What kind of people do you need to surround yourself with to help spark your internal engine and get you back on the road towards success?

As a new decade quickly approaches it is imperative that we seize the day and take grasp of the power we possess within to create the positive choices that will ignite self-growth. Today is an opportunity to create our own interpretation of what our life is to supposed to feel like, and we need a plan to implement for when we start to feel uninspired. With this plan, we ensure that success is more than a desire but an action that takes hold of the rest of your life.

Happy and Successful 2020!!

Author
Alejandra Luna LCSW, Mental Health Therapist/LGBTQ+ Specialist