New Year’s Resolutions Aren’t Stupid

Risk disappointment; I’m begging you

I was watching a TV news show where a reporter went around asking people on the streets if they were making resolutions this year. Almost everybody said no. Young, old, obviously fat and fit, nobody came up with an earnest answer. Instead, pretty much everybody responded with some form of “No, I won't stick to it”, or “If I want to change I'll just do it”. Laughing, one girl said, she her resolution was to make it through the new year, as in continuing to live to see another year on the calendar. She was probably mid-20's, and healthy with no apparent medical problems. She said most people try for bigger goals and failed, but this is one she knows she can keep. For her, all other goals seemed to high, so she settled for breathing.

I find this “I don't want to disappoint myself” attitude unnerving and shameful. Everyone can list a few reasons to improve, even if it's something small such as scrubbing the dishes so the wife doesn't have to.

There's room for improvement in everybody, and when we've become a society that stops trying, we become losers.

We all know trying for an outcome leads to joy or disappointment. I learned trying out for sports teams led to either winning a big trophy with ten new best friends, or isolation and rejection. I remember waiting for my name to be called out as the soccer coach was listing players who made the team aloud, and waiting, and waiting...and then completely balling my eyes out in McDonalds after my mom took me there to cheer me up. I was sucked into a big black hole of misery. Still, I tried out for more teams which is why I also can also recall hearing my name being called out for making a team years later, and how completely joyous that moment was. Even ten-year olds know you can never be happy unless you keep trying.

My big wish is for everybody in this world to set a big, fat new year's resolution. I want people to go after what they want. I want them to risk being even more miserable then they are right now. I want people to sweat more then they ever have, because seeing someone sweat and puff in exhaustion is more pleasing than seeing someone watch TV and eat chips.

Humans were built with the intention of doing more than just breathing.

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