Who decided New Year’s resolutions were stupid? I bought into this way of thinking and have not made a New Year’s resolution in years. Decades. “Why would I do something starting January 1^st? If I want to (fill in the blank) I just will. What’s New Year’s got to do with it?” I heard that repeatedly over the years and fell in step. I was all in.

Why? Did it make sense at the time? Was I rebelling against the perceived “norm” of what “we all do” on New Year’s Day? No one keeps them anyway, I remember thinking to myself, adding credence to my new anti-resolution thinking. What New Year’s resolution have I ever kept? None. Hence, the point is lost. It’s been a thing we do so we still do. As one who doesn’t often conform, once I realized I’ve never kept a resolution I equated the practice with those who told me it was stupid.

It’s not stupid, though, is it? Why not start out the new year with a plan? Why not have a goal (or two) to work towards? What is so wrong with this? You didn’t accomplish it? So be it. You don’t remember what your resolution was by the time March rolls around? So? Who cares. For a while, you had a plan. For a few weeks or months, you worked on and tried to do something unusual. Or necessary. Or fun.

There’s already enough judgment out there. How about we lay off the hostility towards those who make New Year’s resolutions? How about, this year, we actually try to resurrect the tradition? Maybe, just maybe, it’ll help us get something done. Maybe we’ll surprise ourselves. Maybe it will be fun. Who knows.

I know I’m going to. The status quo of “no New Year’s resolutions!” no longer fits me. I’ll gladly embrace, or should it be re-embrace, our old ways of doing things. On some topics. This one is a yes.