I've long-since been a believer that New Years' Resolutions are bullshit. I know, I know, it's a tradition that goes all the way back to 153 B.C. when the Romans looked for forgiveness from their enemies and also used the holiday to exchange gifts.
Throughout the centuries, though, the concept of a New Year's Resolution has become mundane to say the least. "Oh, I'm going to lose ten pounds by March!" Do you have any idea the percentage of gym memberships purchased in January, but go unused after March? "This is the year I stop smoking!" Really, why is it June and you're still smoking a pack of Reds per day?
The very idea of a New Year's Resolution sets the maker up to fail. I understand the whole "It's a New Year, It's a Fresh Start" approach, but why is January 1st of the current year any more important than August 25th of the previous year? And really, if we'd started said resolutions on August 25th of the previous year, wouldn't we be a lot better off than we are now, at the beginning of the new year? In addition, making resolutions, which usually includes announcing them to the people closest to you, creates an unrealistic air of expectation and judgment when that resolution fails.
So why do we continue to put ourselves through that torture? Seriously, a New Year's Resolution is nothing but a mental torture device. I haven't made one for years. Sure, I make resolutions at various points throughout the year, some I don't keep, but I haven't subscribed to the idea of a New Year's Resolution in years.
