As the clock strikes twelve, people of all ages all over the world jump to commit themselves to a variety of New Year’s Resolutions.  Whether these resolutions focus on mental health, physical health, organization, etc, many people who set these resolutions have one thing in common: that most of these resolutions don’t always tend to go to plan. While during January a reinvented mindset reinforced with new year’s resolutions may still be burning strong, the coming months can promise to extinguish this bright flame. Researchers suggest that 23% of people who make resolutions quit them after the first week of January, and 23% of them quit at least by February. This phenomenon is so widely experienced that many wonder why this happens, or more specifically, how to stop it from happening. The truth is that it’s something we tend to push away or not even see, and that it’s actually more common than we think. 

One of the many reasons why our resolutions may not be followed through is that we tend to overestimate what we’re capable of. In other terms, we’re simply thinking too big. While having high expectations isn’t a bad thing, we can’t expect ourselves to completely and spontaneously reinvent ourselves in such a short amount of time, at least without adequately planning out the steps to get there. Voluntarily deciding to become a responsible, organized, better person for the new year is much easier said than done, which is why these resolutions begin to fizzle out during late January and February. 

Another major reason our resolutions aren’t playing out the way we please is our collective perception of change. The truth is that change is really hard to accept. Many of our resolutions include things that we should do and should accomplish, but we never really focus on what we would be receiving in return. In other words, what are our internal motivations? By shifting our focus into doing what makes us feel fulfilled and happy rather than just getting stuff done, change can ultimately seem a lot easier to accomplish, increasing the longevity of our resolutions and transforming them into long-term self improvement journeys that surpass yearly affirmations. 

Overall, self improvement shouldn’t be a chore that is only accomplished once a year passes. If you aren’t happy with your current life, don’t hesitate to start making small changes to improve it! There are always opportunities to improve yourself at any time, but it’s up to you if you wish to seek them out.