My year-long experiment ends this evening with the end of 2008. Almost a year ago from today, I decided that New Year’s Resolutions are silly. A year is too long to resolve to do something. Who actually remembers to carry out their resolution for an entire year?
Nonetheless, I was weary of ditching the whole concept of a New Year’s Resolution. I mean, any concept that exists to better oneself must be good on some level, right?
Enter Monthly Resolutions – a system where, if you choose to accept it, you choose one goal per month and try to meet it. It’s flexible, allowing you to give your month a theme that means the most at that time. Although a month is just as arbitrary as a year for setting goals, at least it’s more often!
My final 2008 resolution was to consciously balance my studies with enjoying myself. In high school, I tended to let my time be “all of nothing” fun or work. Although I had my doubts, I actually managed to moderate myself this time around. I studied hard, but I feel that I gave enough of my time to relaxing and enjoying the company of my new friends before separating for a month.
If there’s anything I’ve relearned again and again this year, it’s the benefits of moderation in most areas of life. Although professional and academic ambition are important, enjoying the people around us is equally important, if not more.
Seeing that 2008′s Monthly Resolution Experiment was such a success, I’m going to try it for another year, and drop “Experiment” from its name. Year 2009, here we go! In addition to a new resolution every month, I’ll make a serious effort to blog more this year than I have over the last four months. Whether about politics, technology, productivity, inspiration, or my path through Tufts, I hope to have something insightful for you to read.
Best wishes for a successful 2009, my friends. May we all work toward a better world. Let me know your New Year’s Resolutions and if you decide to adopt a Monthly Resolution system!
1 Response to “Change Yourself Once A Month”