Mr. Resolution: It’s Not Me, It’s You

Since I was nine, my New Year’s resolution has been to stop biting my nails. I’m now in my 20’s and surprise! I still bite. I’ve cried wolf on this resolution so many times that my action-self completely disregards the claim because she knows there will be no accountability whatsoever. Yet, I still make the same resolution every year. I’ve always been told that biting your nails is gross and that pretty girls have polished hands. But truth be told, I’ve never minded my unpolished hands. So for all the amazing, beautiful, loving people out there who bite their nails, this year’s resolution is for you. I’m going to resolve to stop making this ridiculous resolution. Think about your resolutions. Where are they stemming from? Are they coming from society? From a desire to be perceived a certain way? Are they coming from your truth? From your higher-self? Maybe the problem isn’t with us ourselves, maybe it’s with our resolutions.  According to a recent study by Statistic Brain published in the University of Scranton, Journal of Psychology 45% of Americans make resolutions on a yearly basis. 38% of them are weight related and 34% are about money. Of these statistics only 8% of people are successful in achieving their resolutions. 8%!Today we are constantly bombarded with propaganda to be thin and lose weight. Additionally, having a little extra cash would be nice to cover the latest parking ticket. These popular resolutions mirror the messages we receive in society. Are they really our own desires? Or are we making these resolutions because we are being told this is what “success” looks like? Do we really believe the results will better our life? Switching from carnivore to vegetarian was easy because it aligned with many of my core values. Deciding to only buy second hand or directly from the artist can be hard at times but I do it, because I care about the impact it makes. How is it that I can completely change how I live and interact with the world but I can’t keep from biting my nails? It’s simple really: belief! We must align ourselves with our credence. Rooting our resolutions in our truth is one way to feel and maintain a call to action. So I ask you, Why do you want to achieve your resolution? What do you believe the change will generate? How will that improve the quality of your life? Are there other ways that quality can be achieved? Step outside of your social constructs when you are having the conversation with yourself. Have you arrived at an answer? Ask why. Ask again and again until you feel you can’t break it down any more. The clearer you are about your true desires, the easier it will be to develop a resolution that is worthy of you.