Seek true meaning behind your New Year’s resolutions

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  • By Lydia Leasher, Lead Sexual Assault Response Coordinator and SAPR Program Manager
  • 88th Air Base Wing

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Lydia Leasher, Lead SARC/SAPR Program Manager, 88th Air Base Wing, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
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WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Sticking to New Year’s resolutions is almost its own annual event. We rethink our lives, or sometimes just the previous year, and create a list to improve upon ourselves.

These resolutions often consist of health or weight goals, financial strategies to spend money more mindfully or get out of debt, or some look beyond the material by setting goals to increase family and friend relationships.

Many fail in their attempts to stay on a strategic path for accomplishing or sticking to New Year’s resolutions. Why? That in itself could be studied and has been by many.

For me, I truly believe it comes down to passion. If you have a true passion for something, you can be enthusiastic and stick to it. Let’s examine this a little further.

If a New Year’s resolution is to eat healthier and get in shape, ask why? Is it to look and feel better or improve your health due to decline? Will improving health make for easier movement to exercise and increased energy?

Is that energy desired in order to play with your children or grandchildren at the park? Are those children your passion and true motivation for the healthier diet New Year’s resolution?

Another could be to set aside $200 every paycheck into a savings account. Are you looking to have money for a rainy day, create a nest egg or use that savings at the end of the year to purchase a more reliable car? Is the goal the reliable car or also easing mental worry about whether your vehicle will start every time you turn that key?

Setting the end goal and visualizing it will increase ability to stick to the resolution. Set and see the goal, create a plan and achieve it. Resolutions can be long or short term.

The success rate of New Year’s resolutions is often low. If we figure out the passion and true meaning behind the actual resolution we create, then we are more likely to succeed. That can be true in all aspects of our lives if we apply it properly.

I implore you to analyze areas you want to improve upon or goals you want to set. Seek the true meaning behind it and get enthusiastic to succeed. The only limitation is oneself. You can do this!