Hey! Make A Resolution That Won't Disappoint You!
Eat trash, be free.
Al Columbia’s Pim & Francie
The concept of a resolution is admirable. Something has ended, and you are resolving to do better. But in practice, when you consider the amount of self improvement promises you have made and then failed, resolutions are an annoying reminder of the inevitable lack of willpower human creatures are designed not to have. (Except for those, like, two people we’ve encountered who resolved to do something major and stick through it, and by September become insufferable.)
So, what to do? Do we use the close of a year to throw our hands up and decide that this arbitrarily designed passage of time is just that (arbitrary) and we all beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past? Is self-improvement and resolution-making a futile attempt to pacify our fear that we are not becoming decent, actualized people?
Yes!
But also, maybe no?
So, here is a little brain hack: A resolution is a noun. It is a thing that is fixed and finite, an object that can be held and carried, bent and broken. It is borne out of the decision to resolve, which is a verb, something active and actionable. So, get rid of the nouns, and move into those tricky action words: verbs. In other words: make whatever you decide to do in the name of betterment something that is clearly, ya know, evolving.
Like what? you say. What sort of sorcery do you propose?
Here are some ideas I’ve encountered. Maybe one of these will help you? Maybe not. Whomst is to say?
12 Micro-Resolutions
My bestie Chris Kaye introduced this idea to me, though, full disclosure, it came from their friend David Allen who is an editor at CNN. Instead of making a year-long resolution that will take 365 to achieve, break it into months. And instead of focusing on stuff you won’t do, mix it up between ending habits and starting new ones. Dry January, vegetarian February, 1,000 words a day March, 50 push-ups April, Duolingo May (fucking Duolingo May, it’ll murder me).
This way, you feel 12 moments of accomplishment, and it stops being about a “New Year’s Resolution” and more about “this quirky thing I am doing this month.”
Pick A Single Word Or Concept To Keep In Mind
Instead of an action or a series of activities, focus on a concept. Write this concept on a post it note on a sticky note on your computer. Marker it on your inner wrist. Just keep it around with you and think about it when are falling asleep at night.
Bonus points if it is something meaningless or banal. Screw “grow” or “inspire”, things that don’t have tactile meanings. “Top hat” to remind yourself to be frivolous and over-the-top. “Pickle” because it sounds nice and it is borne out of patience.
Track Your Musical Journey
A few missives ago I noted how I keep a record of my favorite new music of the year, which is a lot to remind yourself of and encourages you to constantly be finding and listening to new things (which is good! Do that!). But usually impactful musical moments come from memories, not from newness.
So, on your platform of choice, create a playlist called, “***2021 Sounds.” The asterisks are important because it’ll float to the top of your musical entries to constantly remind you. Check in every few weeks (set recurring monthly Google Calendar reminders) and throw a new song that has been swimming around on your brain onto it. By the end of the year, you will have captured an very particular sonic adventure.
Stare Into The Void Until One Of You Blinks
This is good, because in my experience, the void almost always blinks first.
Sometimes helpful if void is inexplicably a gaze of raccoons.
Happy New Year’s, you filthy animals.