Non-Traditional Resolutions

January 1st has come again, and with it, millions of Americans are resolving to improve themselves physically, mentally, socially, or otherwise. So, what do you want to change this year? What habit will you strive to drop or adopt? What are your intentions for the next 12 months?

In my limited experience, New Year’s resolutions usually start and end as wishful thinking. Mine is usually to stop drinking sodas— it’s good because I don’t drink sodas anyway. Success is guaranteed! Most, especially those with loftier goals, will forget or “fail” at meeting their challenges. It’s normalized to the point at which talk of resolutions seldom survives past Valentine’s Day. Lately, I’ve seen miscellaneous internet folks claim that choosing more casual goals improves annual commitment.

This is a fascinating proposal: resolutions don’t have to be boring. They don’t have to change your life. Perhaps they shouldn’t— is it reasonable to change your life overnight? Grand plans involving gym memberships, juice cleanses, and decluttering are beyond the New Year’s stunted reach; the New Year is only new for so long, after all. If you intend to maintain a different lifestyle, mindset, or attitude, it might take more concerted effort than a year provides.

With that being said, what if we made resolutions fun again? The New Year is a jovial holiday and not conducive to SMART goals (which I would encourage readers to investigate). Instead, we can make resolutions to match the bubbly atmosphere. For example, consider a low-stakes though valuable resolution to watch as many of the American Film Institute’s 100 top movies by the end of the year. They are board-certified excellent movies that have the plus of being highly referenced in modern culture. You could resolve to visit every business in your town at least once to learn a little more about your community. You could “master” a course in anything from 2nd-grade math to social media literacy with Khan Academy‘s formidable (and free) programs.

If you’re still uninspired, here are 5 more unique New Year’s resolutions that have the potential to stick:

1. Buy the fruits marketed as “tropical” or “exotic” fruits at your local market.
2. Use unique acronyms. For example, my father has Monday morning meetings, but we call them MMMs.
3. Find somewhere to wear an outfit you wouldn’t otherwise get to model.
4. Keep a list of quotes (the Notes app works well) to laugh at later.
5. Whenever you get a spam call, answer in gibberish or a different language (if you speak one).

New Year’s resolutions don’t need to be as serious as we tend to treat them because, ultimately, the annual change of calendars is only the difference of a day. You can resolve to do anything at any time, so don’t pressure yourself too hard about your screen time or spending habits immediately as you start to tackle them. If you approach your goals with less emphasis on the deadlines or your perceived shortcomings, progress might come easier.

In the meantime, though, consider taking on a fun one. Just because.