Resolutions for the 'resolutionless'

By Marissa Kerr, Contributor

THE FIRST two weeks of the new year have already gone and I'm almost sure that at least one of the five, 10, or 100 resolutions made by the majority of persons has already been broken. In fact, most people have likely forgotten where they put the scraps of paper on which they wrote their solemn promises never to smoke, lie, return to an abusive relationship, or idle at school ­ their vows of diligent studying and thriftiness gone with the wind. Yet the same people will, approximately 340 something days from now, be re-making those same promises. What a waste of time.

Broken resolutions can actually impact negatively on a person. The yearly ritual of making vows to one's self and then breaking them shortly after can in fact erode self confidence and hamper personal development. Procrastination and the notorious 'cyaan bada' mentality which can develop as a consequence of these practices are to be blamed for many of the problems in our lives. And, being the faultless people that we are, we place the blame for our personal catastrophes squarely on the shoulders of our families, circumstances and, of course, the government.

Resolutions are not necessary for a good year. Planning is the key. Start with the end in mind. If you can visualise yourself at the end of the year with, for example, your dream job, your university degree, your A' level or CXC passes, you are then able to decide how to get there. Effective study habits, proper grooming, a good knowledge base, all those are necessary for the attainment of those goals. So you work at those. Refuse to partake in gossip during the time allocated for study. Give up the extra hours spent doing nothing on a weekend and get involved in some community activity. Develop a talent. If you can dance, find a group of persons who share your talent and expand your horizons. As you develop healthy habits and enhance your character, the likelihood of your being successful increases dramatically. Proper plans, and not merely resolutions, are the key to a good and prosperous year.

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