Every New Year, everyone has certain New Year’s resolutions they want to succeed in and have a clear image of who they want to become. We make promises to ourselves, such as becoming healthier, improving our grades, saving money, etc. Now that we are a couple of months into the new year, it’s a good time to think and reflect. Are we becoming the person we said we wanted to be? Or was it just the start of the new year’s motivation, and gave up as soon as life got busy or hard?
“My New Year’s resolution was to get my GPA up, because last year it was really low,” said sophomore Ma’khiyah Williams. “Now I’m glad to say I got it back up in the three’s. In some aspects, yes, I have felt like giving up. At the same time, my sense of mentality is very strong. I didn’t give up, but it did get hard at times. No matter how burnt out and tired I am, I just keep doing what I have to do.”
When it comes to New Year’s resolutions and staying motivated, it can be a struggle. January is the month when everyone is hyped, motivated and determined to accomplish everything they promised themselves. But, it all depends on your mindset. Not having the right mindset can ruin your progress. Having the right mindset can mean choosing to study rather than partying or going to practice instead of staying home. Some can find it hard to keep the motivation when they have no confidence, have the fear of failing or feel burnout or exhausted. It is all about having self-control and being willing to push yourself to the best of your abilities.
“I think having a New Year’s resolution is a good thing,” said sophomore Levi Locacsio. “But, I also think everyone just wants to have a New Year’s resolution. Why not fix the problem now and not have to wait until the New Year?”
One of the problems people seem to struggle with is that once they mess up on something, they tend to give up. It’s okay to restart. Life can get busy, and things may not always go according to plan, but falling behind doesn’t mean you failed; it shows progress and prepares you so you know what to expect next time. Many people wait until the New Year comes again to start over, but why wait? Any random day of the week can be just as good as waiting on January 1st to come around. Every day can be a new beginning to something new. It all comes down to you and what you decide.
“I’m a very impatient person, so it can be hard for me sometimes to have patience with myself or with what I’m doing, but I try to stay consistent,” said sophomore Brianna Dominguez. “I think being patient is important when reaching a goal, because it’s new and you’re not sure what to expect of it.”
Having patience can be difficult sometimes. If you have not fully reached your goal, it doesn’t mean you have made no progress. When people think about goals, they often look at the bigger picture and expect to see huge results right away. However, a big amount of growth happens through little step-by-step progress. Small changes, such as improving your habits or staying consistent, can also be big accomplishments you achieve on the way to the bigger image. Everything is a process that we have to have patience and effort with to see the final results.
Overall, as the year continues, it’s important to keep in mind that growth won’t automatically happen overnight; it is a process that will take time, but along the way, you will notice little improvements that will make the process even better. Even if January’s motivation has faded, it is important to keep yourself in check and stay committed to the goals you promised yourself you would accomplish coming into the new year. “New Year, New Me” doesn’t have to be about becoming a different person. It can simply be about improving your persona and becoming a better version of yourself.
“One little mistake does not define you or mean you have completely failed,” said senior Marelly Rodriguez. “Achieving your goals can be a rough journey, but learning from your mistakes and picking up right where you left off can be a big part of the process. I think quitting is the real failure.”
