The Solution To Your New Year’s Resolution

New Year’s plans are somewhat of an internal struggle for me. I am always torn between going out amongst the celebrators wearing a cute party dress and sipping champagne…or staying at home away from the crazies and watching the ball drop in queso stained comfy pants with a screw top bottle of moscato. 

This years’s lucky winner: tamales, noise makers, and pink champagne on the couch with the fiancé and cats (comfy pants implied).    

Resolution. Ya know, the older I get, the more I dislike that word. 

But while my plans for December 31st seem to change year to year, two thing are for certain: I will make myself eat a couple spoonfuls of black eyed peas, and I will make a list of New Year’s resolutions. 

Before I get into this topic of discussion, let me first wish everyone reading (and not reading for that matter) a Happy New Year’s Eve! I hope that each and everyone of you stay safe and warm and to all the party girls out there…please, I beg of you…commit to your shoes. I know heels are barbaric and uncomfortable but for the love of Carrie Bradshaw don’t walk around in public barefoot. Your momma raised you better. 

Now, as I was saying. I strongly dislike the word resolution. No, as a matter of fact, I HATE the word resolution. I ask you to keep an open mind while reading along, and to please know that I am not a New Year’s cynic who believes that fresh starts and new beginnings are a bad thing. I am the biggest cheerleader when it comes to new beginnings! But where I seem to get angry in the New Year/New Start mentality, is that we are only leaving ourselves with resolutions rather than real solutions. 

By definition, a resolution is a firm decision to do or not to do something. A declaration of what you hope to accomplish, learn, understand, or overcome. In comparison, a solution is the ACT of solving a problem; determining the course to find the desired answer, and implement it into practice. If we are being nitpicky (which in this case I am) it seems to me that although we may resolve ourselves to change in the new year, our attempt at transformation will be unsuccessful unless we find a solution to the problem at hand.  

For example, one of my resolution for 2019 is to pay off my credit card debt, put aside as much money as possible, and end the year with a sizable amount of money in my savings account. This is a declaration of what I hope to achieve. But HOW am I going to do this? That is were the solution comes into play. I know that if I want to hit my goal I need to stop spending my income on frivolous items (like adding to my already out of control wardrobe), cut back on unnecessary expenditures (going out to eat and spending money on entertainment) and putting my leftover income towards the correct payoff (credit card debt, student loans, or savings). I can make the resolution to be better about money all day long, but if I don’t have a game plan in place, I am setting myself up to fail. 

If your resolution is to lose weight and be healthier, setting a diet and exercise routine is the solution to help you hit your goal. If you decide that 2019 is the year you check skydiving off the bucket list, your solution is finding a trusted skydiving instructor and to do as much research as possible before you free fall. If your resolution is to start a blog about how you are changing your financial way of thinking (hey wait, that’s me!) you buy a domain name, set out a writing schedule, and let people into your personal bubble. 

It is true what they say: actions speak louder than words. But sometimes those words can give our actions the power they need to become reality. Saying you are going to accomplish something is the first step towards achieving your goal. And by putting that positive vibe out into the universe, you are saying that you are worth the time and effort it takes to carry out that resolution. 

So I guess you can say that resolutions and solutions need each other to succeed. 

Personally, I am going into 2019 with the attitude that this is going to be the best year yet. To be honest, I go into every new year with this mindset. But if you are feeling that spark of determination and resurgence that I know I feel every January 1st, why not lean into it? If 2018 was a hard year, be positive and make 2019 as great as it can be. And if 2018 was the greatest year you could ever imagine, revolve yourself to make 2019 just as magical. 

So let’s all tak a cup o’ kindness yet and help each other make our 2019 memorable and amazing! 

What are your New Year Resolutions? Leave me a comment below and let me know what you want to achieve this year!