Whenever a new year approaches, I get so excited. Why? For me, it is time to make my new year’s resolutions. Yup! Ever since I was a little girl, I always made my new year’s resolutions and I still make them now. Do I accomplish or succeed in all of them? Absolutely not, but the main focus is this: By listing your new year’s resolutions it gives one an incentive to improve oneself in all areas. Yes, this is an individual choice; no one forces or demands you to do it. It requires a strong desire to try to do things better and improve oneself in the new year: whether it is losing some weight, starting an exercise routine daily, eating more healthy, taking some classes to gain knowledge, joining social clubs to make new friends, volunteering in helping the less fortunate in your community, etc.

The year 2020, for many of us, has been a most challenging year. But, instead of focusing on the bad things that has occurred to us, focus on what we have learned from our painful and hurtful experiences whether it was the loss of a family member, the loss of a job, a broken relationship or divorce, or a diagnosed illness, etc. and be determined to do things differently and start out fresh in the new year.

A new year always gives us the opportunities to start out fresh. The past is behind us but it is extremely important to learn from our past mistakes and experiences and be determined to change your life for the better. This is extremely difficult to do because it requires: a strong desire, determination, motivation, perseverance, and diligence on your part.

Let’s define “a new beginning”: According to google, a new beginning means: “a start, commencement; the place where or time when something starts.”

Many of you are wondering: can I start or have a new beginning in my life? Absolutely yes, you can. No matter how horrible, traumatic, and painful your past is, you can ALWAYS start fresh and begin a new year or a new life. But it is a CHOICE one must desire and make it. Every day is a new chance to start a fresh.

My intentions for writing this article is for me as a reminder and to help me to not only to list my new year’s resolutions, but to figure out a way to accomplish them. I would like for ALL of you to seriously think about making new year’s resolutions for this year and for all succeeding years. The purpose of this article is not only to encourage you all to make a list of your new year’s resolutions, but to INSPIRE you to reach further and achieve as many of your resolutions on your list. The key focus here is ONE thing that you would want to accomplish in the new year of 2021. By focusing on only one thing on your list, it becomes more doable and easier to accomplish. Then you can set out on the second item on your list and the next one and go further down the list. This way the entire task will not seem overwhelming to you and will make it much more easier to accomplish.

All of my past experiences failed due to my failure to focus on one goal at a time. It just overwhelmed me when I would constantly pick up my new year’s resolutions list and see all of the items listed. As I tried to accomplish everything on my list, it became so overwhelming and seemed quite impossible to achieve/reach and as a result one tends to slowly give up and develop the mindset and attitude that: new year’s resolutions never comes to fruition, so why bother to even make them. Thus, peoples get so discouraged like myself and dread making new year’s resolutions, thinking: why bother making them, when we can never accomplish/achieve any of them.

Here are my suggestions at some ways we can make, maintain and accomplish all of our new year’s resolutions:

1. Plan Ahead and Outline your Plan: Ideally, you should think and do some research on your specific new year’s resolutions. Do not wait to list them on new year’s eve or day. However, I feel you are never too late to start them. Just do it.

2. ALWAYS be REALISTIC: The fastest and easiest way to fail is when you make your goals unattainable.

3. Always track your progress. Keep a Journal and write in it daily.

4. Stick to it

5. Always plan for your success

6. Pick a start date: It does not have to be on new year’s day

7. Expect and accept failure: For example. Those of you who want to quit smoking cigarettes: there will be days you might fail, but never be hard on yourself, after all, you are human. Just pick yourself up, and keep going and never give up.

8. Make a commitment card (get blank 3 x 5 index cards) for each goal. (**This method really helped me). Write your resolutions individually on the card. Here are some examples:

1. I will try to be positive in the moment I wake up in the morning: I will capture each negative thought that pops into my mind and replace it with positive affirming thoughts the moment it pops into my brain, and I will do this every single time this happens to me throughout my day.

2. I will remain calm and in control of my emotions even under times of stress and disappointments.

3. I will stop repeating in my mind/thoughts about bad things that have happened to me in the past -- caused by other peoples actions and cruel words.

4. I will have good wishes for everyone daily.

Keep these 3x5 index cards in your wallet/purse, in your car, on your desk, near your bed and tape them on your bathroom mirrors: This way it will not only serve as a daily reminder to you, but it is like the memorization process--- this repetition will become ingrained in your mind. Plus, they will be the first thing you see and read as soon as you wake up. Always remember this: you are the one who must decide to take the first step in this adventure and it is always one step at a time and keep focusing on your goal: one goal at a time----and Never give up!

Listed above are only a few of my suggestions in making, maintaining and finally achieving your new year’s resolutions. I hope all of the information above is helpful and will encourage and challenge each and every one of you to make your new year’s resolutions this year and keep making new year’s resolutions in years to come.

Here’s wishing all of you: much happiness, peace, good health, love, joy, prosperity and an abundance in every single area of your lives in this new year of 2021…. May all of your wishes and dreams come true this year.

So until the next time we meet again, please keep smiling, maintaining positive thoughts daily, dancing and meeting new peoples at our daily events. If you see me around on Smeet, please do not hesitate to say Hi to me and if you have a specific question or would like to read on a topic that I have not written on in my past articles, please do not hesitate to message me in private. Always remember this: LOVE one another, why? Love conquers everything! Happy Smeeting and God bless. <3

SAYURI, EN JOURNALIST