Why New Year's Resolutions Don't Work

On one hand, I think New Year's Resolutions are dumb. What is stopping people from starting new things at any point, regardless of the month or time of year? For example, we made some resolutions in November, but you can't really call them New Year's Resolutions....So instead we started calling them initiatives, which just cracks me up because it always reminds me of the Dharma Initiative from LOST.

On the other hand, I always make New Year's Resolutions, even if I don't voice them out loud. So that's the situation. 

Anyway, instead of telling you my New Year's Resolutions, I'm going to tell you My Initiatives, which I made at the start of the beginning of 2017. Trust me, resolutions and initiatives are not the same thing.

My Initiatives

Initiative #1: Read the Bible from cover to cover. Several years ago, my parents gave me a chronological Bible. I've attempted doing this before, but sadly, unsuccessful. I think 2017 is the year to start doing this every year. I'm pretty resolute on achieving this, and continuing it every year.

Initiative #2: Stay on top of the laundry. I hate laundry. Its not that I hate washing, drying, or folding. It's that I hate the actual putting up of the clothes. I don't know what it is about this specific chore, but I will put it off for weeks until there is nowhere for us to sit in the living room. It's terrible.

Initiative #3: Become less attached to my phone. This has bothered me for quite some time, but I didn't have the willpower to make it happen yet. Now, though, I have decided to follow through. Step one is not having the first thing I do in the mornings and the last thing I do at night be looking at social media. Its crazy how dependent people are on their phones and they don't even realize it! 

Initiative #4: Read more. I made a personal goal to read two books per month. Reading is a strange thing for me.... I truly like to read, but honestly, I FORGET that I like to read. So then, I don't read. I guess there are just too many distractions to remember that I like to do this (see Initiative #3).

Initiative #5: Watch less Netflix. I always pride myself that we don't have cable and that the only show that I religiously watch is Survivor. But who am I kidding, I binge watch on Netflix and sometimes it gets way out of hand. In 2016 alone, I watched the complete series of Parks & Recreation, Friends, LOST, and Gilmore Girls. Add in multiple seasons of Survivor, House of Cards, Fuller House (don't judge me), The Walking Dead, Grey's Anatomy, and Veronica Mars. So, my initiative is to only watch one episode at a time, unless Nathan and I are watching it together.

So, the problem with New Year's Resolutions, at least for me, is that a plan isn't made. Don't believe me? Just take a look at the definitions.

Resolution: a firm decision to do or not do something

Initiative: an act of strategy intended to resolve a difficulty or improve a situation, a fresh approach to something.

A resolution is a decision. An initiative is a strategy. So what are my strategies?

My Strategies

Strategy #1: Get an actual alarm clock. I'm terrible (and I mean terrible) at waking up when my alarm goes off. I blame this, in part, because my phone alarm clock is not annoying enough and too easily accessible. So, I moved my phone charger on the other side of the bedroom and found an old alarm clock to put on my bedside table. I still use my phone alarm clock, but I use the more annoying normal alarm clock as sort of a "pre-alarm," as if to say, "ok, your phone alarm is about to go off in 2 minutes so get ready to get out of the bed." 

Not only is this great for actually waking up fast instead of pushing snooze 7 times (sorry Nathan), but it also helps with many of my initiatives. Waking up early (2 hours before I wake up), gives me plenty of time to spend time in the word (initiative #1) and do some chores (initiative #2). It also gives me plenty of time to walk Justice before work, make lunches for us, and eat breakfast. Additionally this helps with getting less reliant on my phone (initiative #3). As a side note, I have a rule with myself to not check my phone until right before I head out the door (and only for the purpose of checking texts or reminders). That gives me 2 hours of phone-free time!

Strategy #2: Read instead of watch Netflix. This is pretty cut and dry. When I have the urge to reach for the remote, instead I have made an effort to reach for a novel instead. This helps me achieve reading 24 books throughout the year (initiative #4) AND watching less Netflix (initiative #5). Additionally, this helps out with being less attached to my phone (initiative #3). When you're watching TV or a movie, its so easy to text or be on social media at the same time. But it is impossible to be looking at your phone and reading a book simultaneously.

Strategy #3: Leave my phone facedown. This is sort of a generic way of me saying forget about my phone and focus on what I am actually DOING. So if i'm at work, there is no reason for me to check my phone every 15 minutes. I'm not that popular to be getting texts all the time. I've also started leaving my phone when I am planning to have social interactions. Whether its having dinner with Nathan, or attending a meeting at work, it is not unacceptable to let myself have my phone out and on the table. For one, it's rude, and for two (again) I'm not that popular.

Note: I would just turn my phone completely off during the day, but if you'll recall, I AM a safety person, so it is hard-wired for me to be prepared both at work and at home, in the case of an emergency, or if my sister is going into labor.

My Progress

So far, the waking up early strategy has been extremely helpful. Waking up and having plenty of time to do exactly what I need to do is great. Normally, I'm against getting places super early (unless its the airport) because, I mean, why? Why get to a college class to just sit there and wait for 15 minutes when you could have had 15 minutes more of sleeping. Why get to a doctor's appointment early just to wait until you're actual appointment time? There's a reason business schedule people for specific times; and its because they are busy during the other times. So my philosophy has been (and still is) "get where you're going a few minutes early, just so that you're not late." BUT, I will say waking up early has helped me be productive, not only in the 2 hours before I leave for work, but also throughout my day. When I'm productive in the morning, I'm more productive at work, and when I get home. It's a cycle of productiveness. 

As of today, I have completed 2 books and am 2/3 finished with a 3rd. The trick for me at this point is to read 3 completely different books simultaneously. So, I've got one fiction, one fantasy, and one inspirational. Additionally, I'm still on track in my Bible.

I have only watched a few things on Netflix. Doing good so far.

The phone issue is a work in progress. I feel that not sleeping with it beside me is a HUGE help. But I'm also trying to teach myself to just be aware of the times when it creeps back in front of my face. It's a struggle, but I'm working on it. 

Hopefully, at the end of 2017, I will have a good report to write about. Hopefully I'll have different resolutions/initiatives for 2018 because I've already conquered my 2017 ones. We'll see. At least I know I have a strategy.