I’ve always felt that New Year’s resolutions are stupid.  I don’t need the event of another year passing, and new, bright future on the horizon, to be my motivation to better myself.  However, I do have to scold myself for belittling those who do, since that’s based solely on my own cynicism (which seems to be a theme lately – I’ll have to ponder that some), and not my support for others to better themselves.

It’s a fact that most of the new year’s resolutions that people make fall by the wayside.  No, I’m not going to cite my sources, because that “fact” is really anecdotal, and not scientifically based at all.  But whether it’s because people bite off more than they can chew, didn’t account for how busy their lives really are, or any number of other reasons, the end result is that they just don’t seem to follow through.

This is where I would normally go on a rant about how those  people are just a pain in the ass for the rest of us.  Crowding up the gym so that the rest of us have to wait for equipment, even though  they’ll only be there for a month or two.  Looking at our food choices in disdain, and commenting about how they’re on a new, healthy diet, and how good it is.  Yes, those people piss me off, because their ultimate lack of follow through just means that I have to tolerate them until they quit.

There are a couple of things wrong with my perspective on that:

1. I’ve done the very same thing in the past, so that type of thinking makes me a total hypocrite.
2. People shouldn’t be belittled for trying something that doesn’t, in fact, really hurt anyone at all.

Because let’s face it, at least they’re trying.  Even if they only stick with it for a month, a week, or even a few days, that’s better than not doing anything.  They got off their asses, and instead of just saying they were going to start something, actually did.  So if that’s a slight inconvenience to me, if I don’t have anything better to get pissed off about than someone making me wait for gym equipment, then I’m doing pretty good.  Because I should never, ever, be telling someone they shouldn’t at least try to move forward rather than stay stationary.

That’ll be my new year’s resolution!  To be more supportive of others.

Probably not.  But it should be.

Instead, I’m going to work on trying to do more of the things that fulfill me.  This is not a resolution, it is a goal.  After NaNoWriMo last year, I realized that I’d been neglecting my creativity for a long time.  Various friends have tried to jump-start it from time to time, but it just didn’t stick.  And it occurred to me after November (again) that it’s something that really makes me feel… myself.  I want to say that it completes me, but I can’t do it with a straight face.  Unfortunately, it seems that there are far too many things in life that are requirements for everything other than happiness, which is why it’s time to focus on those requirements as well.

Again, this is a goal.  Because goals are quantifiable, and can have accountability.  No one cares about broken resolutions.

My goal is to write more.  My goal is to shoot more photos.  My goal is to run Ragnar.  I’m held accountable for the last goal by other people, which makes it easier.  The first two, only I can truly hold myself accountable for.  But goals are always easier with support, and that brings me back to my earlier statement – to be supportive of others.  Instead of mocking people for “resolutions” that I know they won’t keep, I’ll look at is as them achieving their first goal, which is to begin.

What is one goal that you want to be held accountable for this year?