Make realistic resolutions!

It's New Year once again and with it, the festive season draws to a close. You must have gorged yourself on all the delectable food during the season, done loads of shopping and gifted and received lots of presents from family, friends and loved ones.

Among all these fun activities, have you been completely neglecting your studies? If so, it's time to take a long, hard look at that side of your life and resolve to concentrate better on your studies during the year which is just unfolding.

Talking of resolutions, did you make any for this year? If not, you should really commit yourself to achieving the goals you have set for the year without confining them to just new year resolutions.

Many people make grand resolutions on the first day of a new year and forget all about them by the next day.

A new year is a time to look back into the past, reflect on the changes you need to make to create a better future in the year ahead and resolve to achieving these goals.

The intention of making resolutions at this time of the year is to make the new year better than the previous one and make changes to one's lifestyle with this objective in mind. They are a commitment and promise people make to themselves.

To make sure that you don't lose sight of your resolutions, you should first of all keep them realistic. If you have set unrealistic, unattainable and too lofty goals for yourself, chances are you'll ditch them within the next 24 hours. They should be concrete and reachable.

A plan should be set in place to achieve the goals you have resolved to achieve. The plan could be on a short, medium or long-term basis. How exactly you are going to plan your course of action should be outlined.

This should include a list of pros and cons regarding your resolution. It's also better to discuss your resolution with friends and family; not only will you get support from them to stick to your resolution, you may also find somebody with a similar resolution with whom you can work together towards a common goal. You should reward yourself on reaching milestones in your ultimate objective, though not by doing the opposite of your objective. (Ex. If your resolution is to do all your homework daily, and if you have done so for one month, do not reward yourself by slacking off for a week.)

Keep tracking your progress. Don't punish yourself for occasionally wavering from your goal, but resolve harder to stick to it. If you fail initially, start all over again without abandoning your resolution altogether.

Although new year resolutions are generally made on New Year's Day, some do so throughout the month. So, if you haven't already made your resolutions, it's never too late to do so. Remember, sticking to it is what's important.

Indunil Thenuwara

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Some common new year resolutions

* Study hard and improve your grades

* Complete school assignments on time

* Exercise more

* Take up a new hobby or sports activity

* Eat better and healthier

* Keep more time for friends and family

* Take better care of pets

* Earn more money

* Learn a new skill

* Help others or donate to the poor

* Work towards a cleaner environment

* Get better organised

* Wake up and sleep early

* Join some club or charity organisation

* Quit smoking/drinking (for adults)

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Fact

*Only about 52 per cent of those who make new year resolutions are confident of achieving their goals. Only about 12 per cent actually realise their goals.

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Origin

* The custom of making new year resolutions is believed to go back to 153BC when Janus, a mythical king of early Rome, was placed at the head of the calendar. This king had two faces, one looking back to the past year and the other looking forward to the coming year. Janus was the ancient symbol for resolutions. Romans of the era sought forgiveness from enemies and exchanged gifts with them before the beginning of a new year.

* Some believe that making resolutions started during the Judaist New Year, Rosh Hashanah, when people reflected on the mistakes of the past year and sought and offered forgiveness.

* Early Babylonians are also thought to have made the first new year resolutions; their main resolution, it's said, was to return farm equipment they had borrowed from friends and neighbours for agriculture activities, and start the new year afresh with no debt.

* Resolutions of the past are believed by some to have been made to the gods in the hope that the gods would return some favour, such as a good harvest, in return. Breaking the resolution would earn the wrath of the gods and bring bad luck to individuals.