New Year's Resolutions.

In today's day and age, I am always hearing people say "New Year's resolutions don't work. I don't make them anymore."

I don't understand this, really.

Are they not trendy? Are they not hip? Are they out of style?

I think they are. No, I think people THINK they are.

Quite frankly, I think New Year's resolutions are great. They have a lot of meaning and are a chance for people to set goals and try to stick to them. Whether it's something tangible like losing weight and going to the gym, or to work on a virtue, like patience, they're all good.

Yes, YES. We all need lifestyle changes too, especially when it may come to our nutrition and health. Lifestyle changes are important in those areas. But it is indeed OK to set goals for ourselves too.

Goals help keep us on track, keep us accountable, and give us something to work towards. They provide an end in sight. They give us a finish line. And THAT is something that helps us stay focused.

I've heard some people create vision boards for this kind of thing too, displaying in pictures what they hope to accomplish or achieve. It gives them something to look at throughout the year to help them keep in mind what they set out to do at the first of the year.

I like that one.

New Year's is one of my favorite times of year.

I love going into somewhat of a hibernation, for the month of December. And moreso the last two weeks of it. It's like a state of pure bliss with the work parties, slowing down of client projects, shopping, stay-cationing, hot chocolate drinking, and family and friend bonding that makes waiting the whole year for it worthwhile. It just STINKS that it's over so quickly.

After all the hibernating and eating of delightful food and hitting sales and staying up late and sleeping in, that dreadful moment comes, though, where you have to get back to reality. You must clean your house, put up all your gifts, put the decorations away, go back to work, and get life back to "normal," whatever that may be in your household.

It is so unfortunate, really, that life has to be this way. That we can't always be in a state of enjoyment with family and friends and the seasons and year-round holidays, and that we feel we have to rush back to work. I wish it wasn't so. I wish we all were able to enjoy life just a little bit more. Soak it in a little bit longer. And not RUSH back to our jobs and our commutes and the hustle and bustle.

Is it really worth it?

*Sigh*

So, today I declare that I do believe in resolutions. I think they are awesome. And I hope you make some.