He said, she said – Do you make New Year’s Resolutions?

*The most exciting thing about He Said, She Said is wondering if we’ll still be married by the end of each post! We both write on the same topic but only get to read the other’s work after it’s published.*  

He Said:

I wish I could keep mine longer than a week!

She Said:

Yes, this year my New Year’s Resolution is to wear more hats.

What’s more, he says:

I don’t think New Year’s resolutions work. People put themselves under so much pressure – give up smoking, give up drinking, stop eating junk food, get fit, change career.

These are big efforts. Too big to be fulfilled on the word of a new year. I’ve tried quite a few times to break bad habits with New Year’s resolutions, but I always fall off the wagon in a few weeks max.

Instead, I think resolutions should be more of a reset button – a bit like how Mrs Romance sees New Year’s Eve. But more importantly a resolution doesn’t have to focus on the negative – why not make what your yearly promise to yourself a good thing?

Something like ‘I will spend more time with my friends.’ Or ‘I will learn to cook 10 new dishes.’

If you really want to lose weight or improve personal hygiene or whatever, you’ll do that anyway. Or not.

I don’t see the point in putting yourself under more pressure. It’s a new year. Enjoy it!

And another thing,she says:

I know you’re wondering if I’m serious about that hat resolution but I am. I’m 100% certain that I will achieve my resolution to wear more hats and, as a bonus, have fun doing so.

The problem with most resolutions is that they’re too big. People set lofty resolutions, usually about improving their weight and fitness, and they’re too difficult to maintain. The most common New Year’s resolutions are “lose weight” and “get fit”.

You can’t meet a goal that’s not specific. Then you drop your resolution all together and feel like a failure. It’s a vicious cycle.

Let’s break the bad resolution cycle.

Pick something easy and achievable! Why not pick something fun and a bit ridiculous for your New Year’s resolution?

That’s why I’m wearing more hats in 2014. The sense of achievement I get from making my resolution come true gives me hope and helps me reach my bigger goals too.

A couple of years ago, inspired by a friend, I made a vision board of my dreams for the year ahead. There were a few easy goals (so I knew I could tick something off) but I threw in some crazy big ideas just for fun.

The most amazing thing was that it all happened. In 12 short months.

Being specific and writing down my vision made me crystalise my dreams and turn them into goals. This made them a little more achievable than I first thought. I kept the vision board on the back of my door and looked at it every day until all those things happened.

I’m currently putting together my 2014 board and it’s exciting. A little scary too, but mostly exciting.

Do you make New Year’s resolutions? Have you ever created a vision board?

Image via Pinterest – unable to locate original source.