Reach your ‘new year, new me’ goals in 2020
A registered counsellor believes that you should replace the word 'resolution' with 'goal' and here is why:
POLOKWANE – New Year’s resolutions are goals that we set out to accomplish in the coming year. These give you an idea of what you have to do and what changes to make in order to achieve those goals. Despite many of us making resolutions, we often find that they are difficult to keep and a couple of months down the line, we have completely given up the effort.
Review spoke to Maphuti Mashiane, a registered counsellor, who explained that resolutions can increase a person’s well-being because they force us to consider what we value most and they help to structure our time. “A resolution is like a promise to oneself to improve one’s life but without clarity and vision. Research shows that lot of people like to declare their resolutions at the beginning of the year because psychologically the start of a new calendar year creates change in our mindset,” he said.
He recommends that people shy away from using the word ‘resolution’ because the word on its own is powerful and demanding. It creates no room for failure hence a lot of people fail at achieving their ‘resolutions’.
“My suggestion is that one should shy away from using the word and replace it with goal,” he explained.
Here are my reasons: Goals provide vision and direction and they enable a person to plan for their future. Goals give life meaning as one is able to find the reason for wanting to accomplish their goal which gives a sense of purpose in life. Purpose is what motivates and pushes us to take action.
“Goals can be monitored and progress can be checked and therefore there will not be any confusion as to whether there is an improvement in one’s life. People who set realistic goals for themselves are more likely to achieve them than a person who promises themselves change. Change without clarity and vision will most likely leave one confused and without direction,” he added.
He concluded to say that common goals keep us happy and connected because common goals provide a foundation block upon which we build communities.
