What Is Really Worth Changing in 2009?

New Year’s Eve has come and gone and 2009 is here. As with every New Year, resolutions are made, sober or drunk, and we promise to change something. Maybe this year we’ll lose that extra ten pounds, prioritize our finances, finally leave that no good boyfriend, or tell our boss to shove it. With the world moving faster every day, the only thing that stays constant is change. Resolutions can be a great thing, if given a considerable amount of thought beforehand. Instead of vowing to change all the things we dislike on the outside, we need to start with the problems on the inside.
No, I’m not talking about your internal organs or bone structure. Look past the surface and find something that’s worth making a resolution about. The word “new” is before “year” for a reason. Think about what the word “new” means. It may not mean the same thing to everyone one, but I can say that it does mean the opposite of old. Perhaps it could mean a new start, a new you, a new place, or a new beginning. Don’t be too afraid to make a resolution for fear that you can’t live up to it. This is your chance to erase all the mistakes and disappointments from last year and start fresh. Approach your resolution as a challenge, and use every day as one more step towards conquering it.
There is nothing wrong with a resolution about wanting to lose weight, prioritizing your finances, leaving a worthless boyfriend, or telling your boss you’re quitting. But you have to do it for the right reasons. A drunken toast made ten seconds before midnight clearly didn’t come with much thought behind it. Make a resolution because it means something to you. Do it because you want to change something about yourself. Make a resolution to lose weight because you want to eat healthy, not because you feel pressured to conform to a certain size. Prioritize your finances because you don’t want to rely on your parents forever, or max out all of your credit cards. Doing these things makes you a stronger person on the inside; you will start to rely on yourself more instead of blaming your problems on other things.
If you want to make a resolution about ending a relationship, resolve to figure out who you are as an individual before you attempt to date anyone else. Relationships are hard work and if you know in your heart that you need to end it, there is no better time like the present. The same goes for the job that you need to say goodbye to. If the job isn’t for you, find the one that is. Life is too short to stay in a job that makes you unhappy. Yes, it is scary saying those two little words and packing up your desk. But the sense of relief that follows will be worth it. Make a resolution to find the job that makes you happy. It won’t be easy, but when you find it, all the hard work will be worth it.
The bottom line is, a resolution should leave you feeling satisfied for longer than the day that you decided to make it. If done correctly, the resolution that you make should last the whole year through. And who says a resolution has to be made on New Year’s Eve? Make your resolution now. There is plenty of time left to look long and hard at what it is that’s really worth changing. The good news is, you don’t need a mirror to figure it out.