New Year, New You? Screw that, the old one will do!

It’s about that point in the month when New Years resolutions begin to slip a little.

The stress of January deadlines, topped by two weekends playing designated driver has made that Sunday evening beverage look ever more appealing . The realisation that your Boxing Day sales binge and New Years away means that your wages won’t quite stretch to that gym membership you promised yourself.

It’s ok. You’re not alone. 62% of people go through the charade of creating New Years resolutions each year, only 8% of which are successful. 1 in 4 people fail on every resolution, every year!

A work colleague asked me what my goal for 2012 was. I was a little stumped as I realised that having moved to the other side of Europe for a new job in the concluding weeks of 2011, I’d set the bar pretty high for 2012!

I also spoke to a friend whose only resolution, albeit tongue in cheek, was to “Be more awesome!”

Image courtesy of @garydunion on Twitter

He had a point. I had a think about the things I wanted to change about myself, and trust me there are many! But then I realised that the old me was doing ok, I just needed to do more of it.

GO HARD OR GO HOME

The phrase “Go Hard Or Go Home” is usually synonymous with nights out but I thought about applying it to everyday things. I already have my “first-wrung-on-the-career-ladder” job, may as well work my ass off and be the best that I can at it. I try to go running as often as I can, screw it, go everyday! Don’t compartmentalize your life and try to make it over, just go the full hog, why not?

And I’m not the only one. My best friend had always loved Australia whenever she’d been there on holiday. So she went hardcore and saw in the New Year in Sydney where she’s moved to for a year. Another friend had the realisation that an office job wasn’t for her, so she stepped it up a gear and is now applying to join Sandhurst.

These are extreme cases but my point is that if you’re not going to do everything in life to the fullest, you may as well go home and twiddle your thumbs there. So focus on the things that you do do, whether it be that diet you’re toying with, or playing football on a Sunday, and do it I well!

And before you all judge me for thinking I don’t need to make any changes to my life, I did decide on a Dry January as part of a sympathy diet with a work colleague. Two weeks in and yes I broke it! I have had 2 glasses of red wine but I’m not going to beat myself up about it. A drink every so often is ok, it’s face-planting into my pillow every weekend I’m looking to avoid!

Oh and blogging. I created this thing, so I may as well take the time to blog twice a week. Aren’t you lot lucky!