By Dr Laila Abdel Aal Alghalban
With a new year, a period buzzing with resolutions sets forth. We put goals we want to achieve on personal and career levels. New year means new beginnings; closing chapters and opening new ones. New year gives us hope that we can change for the better, that we can overcome personal struggles and start to make our dreams come true.
Easier said than done
Did you achieve all Your goals for this year?… 50 percent may be?? 30 per cent? Well, I feel your pain, my friend. Things are easier said than done, they say.
Don’t feel discouraged by the not very impressive change you made in 2025 because you are definitely not alone. Most people give up their New Year’s resolutions… just nine days after they were made, studies point out. Researchers also say that only one in 10 of us has enough gut to pull the trigger to ditch old habits and honour resolutions. More paradoxically and dramatically, some people resolve not to set resolutions at all. Others’ decisions last only 27 minutes. The shocking news of “a man killed his girlfriend within hours of making a New Year’s resolution never to hurt her” is glaring evidence that things are really easier said than done.
Why?
Something I have been pondering for a long time as the new year approaches. Why? Why do we become very unrealistically optimistic that we would put these resolutions into action? Why do we make New Year’s resolutions which may end up being broken soon after? Is it a matter of just imitating other people in our inner circle, friends and parents? Is it a search for a fresh air with new hopes and aspirations? Is it because it becomes increasingly difficult to move on with life as it is and we need to lead a more meaningful life? Is it because of an entrenched sense of guilt over lacking the strong will and commitment needed to do a long list of urgent things, but as usual, we fail ourselves?
Procrastination is to blame
It is procrastination to blame, this is what comes to mind instantly.Others blame genes and upbringing. All are key actors. Let us focus on procrastination, a widely- used word in today’s world. It means the delay of things that should be done and consuming your time on non useful stuff just because they are fun and make you feel at ease. It is a word that is related to deadlines at work or at school, but the less popular aspect of procrastination is the side that does not involve the external assessment element as New Year’s resolutions.
Wishes or resolutions?
No one would punish you if you did not achieve your resolutions. Our minds, consequently, trick us into thinking that we still have time and we would change soon, but let us have a good time for now. The stagnation that procrastination causes makes us feel petty and lose faith in ourselves; we are not mentally or spiritually strong enough to reject such short term distractions in order to move ahead with our goals. Never mind! that is absolutely normal, all humans are procrastinators to some degree.
Sticking to resolutions and age
Contrary to common beliefs that as we grow older we become more resistant to change habits and put on new ones, studies show that people in their 50s and beyond still retain the energy and strong will to make resolutions and keep them. They find meaning in what they do and enjoy the transformation process. Sometimes, older generations outperform adolescents and millennials. So it is never too late. Keep going!
Achievability continuum
The toughest and most daunting task, studies show, is to quit smoking; the first day is always the hardest. Quitters may also put on weight, which makes things worse. Losing weight and daily exercise are more workable ones. It is true that habits are part of addiction, but resolutions, if fulfilled, can save the day and prevent habits from turning into irreversible addiction.
Gender differences
The funny thing is that there are differences between men and women in this regard, research says. To boost chances of keeping vows, men should set goals, while women should tell everyone about their plans. “Spreading the word” would offer women moral support; family and friends’ encouragement fuels their enthusiasm to stick to their resolutions.
General tips
It is not an easy battle to discipline yourself and get things done. Everyone has their pitfalls. It is wrong to think that putting new habits is a one-night process. It takes small simple consistent steps to see results. Sticking to resolutions is a long process that is not fun, most of the time. We must be ready to make sacrifices and get out of our comfort zone; it is worth doing it. Psychologists also recommend that you think about the results, the gain, not the pain. Focus on one workable thing at a time. Put out the fire of the stimulus for old habits and carve a niche for fresh ones to grow and blossom.
Let us start anew, feel anew, think anew and act anew. Let us make something extra special this year. Let us never lose hope that we can change our lives for the better.
Happy New Year!
By Dr Laila Abdel Aal Alghalban Professor of linguistics Faculty of Arts
Kafr el-sheikh University
Email: [email protected]
