The fireworks at midnight are over, the Instagram reel rounding up 2022 posted, resolutions in the hopes of a
fresh start made… Now is usually the time all that optimism and determination start wearing off. Are you part of the
36% of us whose resolutions failed within the first month?
Or are you still feeling the optimism of the new year? Either way, these are some of the reasons why we think
you should NOT stick to your new year’s resolutions.

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You Might Annoy Your Family and Friends

Setting resolutions means being loud and proud that you are ready for change. Have you thought about the people
around you though? They have to listen to your exciting plans to travel through Asia once you’ve saved up enough,
be amazed by your motivation to get up at 6am to go for a run, or even worse – watch your progress and have to be
encouraging and supportive of you, all while thinking “I could never achieve such things”.

You Will Not Be Yourself

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Forget being yourself when you decide to make new year’s resolutions. You will start to turn into a whole new person,
living a whole other life, with only one purpose – sticking to your resolutions! Never been able to even fry an egg,
and now you’re cooking a delicious three course meal after getting home from work?
“Who is this and what have you done to the old me?”.

Your Life Will Be Turned Upside Down

Wanting to change or improve yourself for the better requires building new habits into your daily life.
Who needs the trouble of turning their life around to achieve the goals set out for the year?
Can you imagine adding an hour at the gym to your daily routine, just so you can work on getting more physically fit?
Or starting your day with some meditation to improve your mental well-being?
Sounds like way too much trouble, just to change your life for the better!

You Will Learn to Mess Up

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Being successful at anything means trying, and trying leads to failure. If you decide to stick to your new year’s
resolutions, you will realize sooner or later that a harmless slip-up, like drinking a glass of wine at work does
not have to be the first tumble down a slippery slope of “well, I already had one glass, might as well go all the way”.
Can you imagine what losing the fear of failure will do to you?!

You Will Become Too Ambitious

Be warned, slowly achieving the goals you’ve set out for yourself will make you think that you can achieve anything.
Successfully moving out of your 3-person shared condo into your very own place, will lead you to believing that you can
buy your own villa soon enough, or dedicating your free time to a one-week course on data analytics will make you believe
that you can change your career path and score a position as CTO! Who knows what could happen when you start thinking too big?

If you have not noticed by this point… We were being ironic!

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Whether you are still on track or have lost momentum on achieving your new year’s resolutions, it never hurts to
re-evaluate where you are in your journey. Here are some ACTUAL tips to help you take another look at your resolutions
and get to achieving them!

Take Your Environment Into Account

Are your resolutions doable within your current situation? Getting home in time for dinner every day may be
easier said than done if you work at a company where deadlines are tight and working late is the norm.
If you have not considered your resolutions in relation to your lifestyle, job, and even the people around you,
there’s still time to do so. This ensures that your resolutions are first and foremost feasible, instead of setting
yourself up to fail in unrealistic scenarios.

Be Willing to Pivot

Not everything will go to plan when trying to achieve your resolutions, especially when it comes to factors
outside of your control. Who would have thought that a global pandemic would force you to cancel a self-discovery
trip to Asia? The key is not giving up when things do not go the way you imagined. So try new methods,
rethink your goals, make new plans… you will do just fine!

Be Kind To Yourself

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Remember that new year’s resolutions are not ‘black and white’. Succumbing to temptation and having an ice cream once
in a while does not mean that your entire “eat healthier” resolution is derailed! On the difficult path to making
resolutions a reality, be understanding of slip-ups and give yourself a chance to get back on track.

Be Specific with Your Goals

Are your resolutions too general? “Be more active” and “expand my network” are better replaced with “take
the stairs at work every day”, or “join a networking event every month”. Ensure that your resolutions include
specific steps, habits, and even new routines in your daily life that can help you work towards your goal.

Think of Your Values and Boundaries

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“I want to find a job after graduation.” Is income or the opportunity to learn more important for me?
“I want to prioritise mental health at work this year.” Is my current job or company culture conducive to my mental well-being?
Getting to the root of why you set your resolutions and aligning them with your values can help you find clarity and focus,
while also keeping you motivated when progress seems slow.

Be Open to Change as a Catalyst

Opportunities will often present themselves in the form of change, so why not apply for that job even if you feel underqualified,
or request that transfer which could mean moving to a new city you always wanted to explore? Prepare to make drastic changes
when it comes to you, your environment and even your relationships with those around you in order to make your bolder
resolutions a reality.

Making new year’s resolutions and sticking to them will not be easy. However, having hope and aspiring to be better in
little or large ways – whether mentally, physically, professionally, or interpersonally – is always going to be worth it.
So this new year, be kind to yourself, be realistic, and best of luck in achieving your resolutions! It is never too late
to re-evaluate the resolutions you have set, get back on track, or completely toss your old list and start anew.