12 Jan Let’s start again… New Year resolutions FAILURES!
Most of us do it. And every year, at least once. Each time we believe it will be different; we put things in place, have a positive mindset and a willingness to succeed. However, we invariably fail. I’ll put up my hand and admit I’m top of the pile with doing this, every single year without fail. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again… I’m an overachiever!
So, why do we make resolutions at the beginning of each year? What is it about the first of January that makes us want to set goals, and obviously ones we’re unable to achieve? Is it too much celebrating the night before that gives us Dutch courage? Are we’re wearing rose-coloured spectacles or, at the very least, looking through the bottom of the empty glass bottle of some alcoholic beverage of choice? Who the hell knows? Yet we do it, religiously!
The primary thing I asked myself when I gave some thought to this conundrum was what a resolution actually was? The first definition I found said it was the ability of a device to show an image clearly and in lots of detail. Umm… I think I need a bigger Google search! The next result wielded this: a firm decision to do or not do something. And I discovered you could substitute decision with a vast array of other words including intention, purpose, aim, aspiration and determination. Go put those babies in your vocab bank!
The main point I focussed on from the second denotation was the last four words… or not do something! I wish this was a visual blog so you could have witnessed my grin when I realised I wasn’t actually a failure. In fact, for once in my life of making New Year resolutions, I was a WINNER! I was just being resolute in not achieving my New Year goals! And eleven days into two thousand and twenty-two I’ve achieved all four of them… in reverse, if you look at it the way I now am!
So, I’m still an over-achiever, and proud of it. In my blog last week, you learned I thought I’d been an epic failure on Day One. My aim was to be less caustic and more tolerant of others. In other word, suffer the many fools we have running around in our society. Dare I mention the buffoon who incited a riot in his nation’s capital. Or what about those who went on a panic buying spree for a three-day COVID lockdown. Idiots! I hope they bought condoms along with toilet paper because 1. They’re shit and 2. They’re breeding! Do I need to give any more examples? I thought not! So, the question here is Would you consider I’ve failed?
About three days in, and with temperatures in Perth soaring over the forty-degree Celsius mark, I decided walking ten thousand steps for personal pleasure was probably detrimental to my health – physically, mentally, psychologically, emotionally and any other ally you care to throw in. Why don’t you walk in the late evening? I hear you ask. Because the bloody thermometer didn’t register anything under twenty-six degrees for over a week. And that minimum was usually at about 4am. I’m not walking anywhere at that time. Except to the toilet. It’s a necessity at my age. Unless I revert to wearing a nappy to bed and I’m definitely not at that stage yet, and hopefully not for a long, long time! Back to chatting about walking, or rather my lack of it. There wasn’t even enough cooling sea breeze to blow out a match where P-i-C and I live. And, as I hate sweating, even the thought of it sends shudders down my spine… you know where I’m going this. It’s a reason, not an excuse!
Then, much to my chagrin, by the end of week one I realised my short-term goal to make money from my writing was more likely going to be part of a long-term plan. Well, what is your superannuation for? Correct answer… to support you in retirement. And I have retired, from my job as a teacher. The fact I’m commencing a new career is a moot point. I rest my case, your Honour!
I am, however, writing at least one thousand words a day. And, on most days, over two thousand words. Except Saturday. I didn’t write any. Not one single word. Not even one letter. Not by using pen and paper (I have my pen licence!), and not by using the computer. I did make a comment or two on some Facebook posts, but that doesn’t count. It’s not writing writing. Like writing a novel or a blog.
Therefore, by my reckoning, I can put a big red cross against each and every one of my four New Year resolutions. In my eyes, I’m not a failure… I’m an epic LEGEND!
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