New Year's Resolution: No New Year's Resolutions!

Well, 2011 is about to be over. For some, it may have been a great year, but there are plenty of others who are excited to say "F*ck off 2011, and kiss my a$$ while you're at it!" Although I'm a firm believer that you can change your life at any time, there's something so appealing about starting fresh at the beginning of a new year. We're ready to shed some old habits and pick up new, healthier ones, especially since we're older and(allegedly) wiser. This is the time to get our lives together for reals because it's a new year.

Hahahahahahaha.

Sorry if my laughter seems a little cynical; I'm not trying to crush anyone's dreams of getting in shape/volunteering/learning a new language/traveling more/watching less television/closing their FB account. Here's the thing about resolutions - they can be kind of a set up for failure. We're so gung-ho about starting/quitting something at the beginning of a new year, we often forget to assess whether we're truly ready to do it. Think about it - how many of your resolutions have been the same for the last several years? Are you still trying to quit smoking? Cut back on eating out? Spend more time with family and friends? Resolutions signify a change and we all know changing ain't easy (and apparently, neither is pimping).

So my resolution for this New Year's Eve - no resolutions! Yeah, I'm kind of a rebel.

I encourage you to do the same; kick back and just enjoy your New Year's Eve! Instead, take a look back on 2011 and reflect on what was awesome about it and what made it awful. Take the time to really think about what goals are realistic for you and your life (winning the lottery is NOT a realistic goal). Most importantly, figure out if you're actually invested in achieving those goals; if losing 20lbs has been on your list of New Year's resolutions for the last 7 years, maybe you're not ready to do it. If there are changes you want to make in your life, do it when it's the right time for you, whether it be January 1st or March 27th. Otherwise, come February, you'll be lamenting the $29.95 per month gym membership you signed up for and used approximately 3 times since you got it. (I understand, the gym is so crowded in January, how can anyone work out in that madness?! Mmhmm.)

I wish everyone a fun and safe New Year's Eve. Party like a rock star! (But a responsible one, not one who trashes hotel rooms and bites the heads off chickens.)