WHAT ARE YOUR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS? HAVE YOU MADE ONE?

Every end of the year we take a moment or two to reflect our past event, the experiences we've had, things we have achieved, the ones yet attained and the ones we were too scared to dream of. So we look forward to a fresh start, a new beginning, a new year where we can breathe and start again, renew our promises and make new resolutions.
There is always a kind of spiritual refreshment the new year brings that gives us hope of a brighter day, a serenity that baths our souls with the solace that past mistakes and regrets are tucked in the past, only the lens of a brighter tomorrow flashes on the screen of our mind.

The new year has come and the euphoria of the festive season is gradually dulling out, time to resume work and back to normal activities of our lives, what are your New Year Resolutions? Have you made one? With the new year always comes a distinct and passive ritual people all over the world partake called The New Year Resolution. Some engages in this ritual with fervent anticipation and all seriousness that encloses their mind in a deep spiritual atonement. They will write out the contents of their past mishap and set goals and borders of what they plan to correct and achieve in the new year. While some dismisses the physical engagement of this New Year Resolutions activities but subconsciously set it in their mind.

The origin of New Year’s Resolution started in Babylon when the Babylonians made promises to their gods at the start of each year that they would return borrowed objects and pay their debts. While the Romans began each year by making promises to the god Janus, for whom the month of January is named.
It is also recorded that in the medieval era the knights took the “peacock vow” at the end of Christmas season each year to re-affirm their commitment to chivalry.

The New Year’s Resolution has many other religion implications. During Judaism’s New Year, which is also known as Rosh Hoshanah, through the High Holiday and culminating in Yom Kippur (the day of atonement), one is to reflect upon one's wrongdoings over the year and both seek and offer forgiveness. People can act similarly during the Christian liturgical season of Lent, although the motive behind this holiday is more of sacrifice than of responsibility. In fact the Methodist practice of New Year’s Resolution came in part, from the Lenten sacrifice. The concept, regardless of creed, is to reflect upon self-improvement annually.

What is the new year to you? Is it the time of the year you get in touch with yourself spiritually and appreciate you still have air in your lungs? Or is it that time of the year you set new goals for yourself to be accomplished before the turn of another year? Whatever is your preference, there is not denying the fact that the new year comes with festivities and laughter. But if you are one of those that believe in the spirituality of the New Year’s Resolutions, here are some resolutions you can add to the ones you've already made in your secret diary:

1. Improve physical well-being: eat healthy food, loose weight, workout more, quit alcohol, quit smoking.
2. Stop biting nails
3. Getting rid of old bad habits.
4. Improve mental well-being: think positive, laugh more, enjoy life.
5. Improve finances.
6. Get out of debt.
7. Make small investments.
8. Go back to school.
9. Self development.
10. Become more organized.
11. Stress less.
12. Learn something new(such as new music or a foreign language).
13. Become more independent.
14. Take a trip to foreign land.
15. Volunteer in community work.
16. Make new friends.
17. Visit relatives and spend quality time with family members.
18. Get engaged/get married/have children.
19. Become more spiritual, pray more.
20. Buy a new home or move to a better apartment building.
21. Spend less time on social media.
22. Buy a new car.
23. Give more charity.
24. Get out of that toxic relationship.
25. Read more books.
But remember this, that whatever your New Year’s Resolutions are this brand new year of 2018, consistency is the major key to achieving what goals you set for yourself. Keep dreaming and work on it, improve on what you're building and with time it shall yield positive results.