The Ridiculousness of Resolutions

 The Ridiculousness of Resolutions



Once again our collective social medias, morning shows, and group chats will be inundated with proclamations of what will happen in this new year. “New Year, New You” will flood every bloody outlet that is available for people to read. Folks will resolve to lose weight, stop smoking, start having more fun, start a vision board, or start running (my personal favorite).

I guess the part of it all that bothers me is the idea of waiting until this designated day to stop being whatever they’ve been to start being some other version of what said person perceives to be an updated or upgraded version of YOU. But why?

There are approximately forty different calendars in the world that I know of. Which calendar is the chosen one? Which day, in which month, on which calendar will you decide to become the new you? Let’s get creative.

For those that follow the Gregorian calendar you can get started on January 1. Then, at least in 2024, celebrate the Chinese New Year and restart in February. Try and keep it together for a few months and then you can start all over again in July on the Islamic Calendar. In 2024, for your fourth reset, the New Year was in October on the Jewish calendar. For those looking for quantity and not quality this can be the approach.

Of course I went for my annual run on January 1. I always do. It’s not a different or better version of me. I do it, on the first day of the year to perpetuate who I already am. I spend the day with my family. I pray. I get set, full of excitement to reaffirm what I think about who I am and nod to the mirror that the imminent push isn’t because it’s a new year but because I pushed on December 31st, October 13th, March 2nd and any other day on the calendar.

I ran today because my surgeon told me that this is the first date that I could run post-surgery. It is fortuitous that my first day of allowable running is the first day of the year. It is cool. Poetic even. 

Every day is another chance to go out and crush it. Wake up and go. 

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