Resolutions Don't Have To Wait For The New Year

The year is coming to an end, which can only mean one thing: you're about to be bombarded with questions about what your resolution is for the New Year. As we've probably all experienced, new years resolutions rarely work. Out of the many years I have been alive, I have only stuck to one resolution and even then it wasn't perfect. I made mistakes, I complained and there were times that I wanted to give up.

New Years resolutions are intimidating! It feels as though if you make one mistake you have to give up and wait until January 1^st to come around again. But here at 1 Million Women, we believe that everyday can be a new beginning. Setting a goal for your year is great! It will help guide you in your everyday life, but you have to remember not to give up after slipping up once or twice. That's why we think resolutions can begin at any time of the year.

Instead of setting one daunting goal, try setting little goals for yourself throughout the year such as switching to reusable bags or using a keep cup. These little steps can make a huge difference in the long run, and they aren't as intimidating as a new years resolution. If you want to set a new years resolution to live an environmentally friendly lifestyle, that's amazing! But don't feel like you need to make every single change on January 1^st. Everyone is different and in my own experience it takes time for me to change the way I do things. The more changes I make all at once, the more likely I am to make mistakes.

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Making a lifestyle change because you feel like you need to set some sort of resolution is basically setting yourself up for failure. If you genuinely want to change things in your life because you are passionate and care about something you are much more likely to keep it up. According to Psychology Today, people try to reinvent themselves by setting resolutions that they aren't ready for, which leads to a high-failure rate.

If you decide in March that you want to make some changes to your lifestyle, then by all means go for it! The beginning of a new year doesn't have to be a big deal. January 1^st is a brand new day just like any other day of our lives. Take each day as a new opportunity to be your best self. That will have a bigger impact than any new years resolution. We are all human, we have our ups and downs and we need to remember that perfection is impossible.

If you want to start the New Year with some sort of resolution, take on the year with an open mind and a willingness to learn. This will open you up to new opportunities to make changes that don't have to start on any particular day.

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