Dear students,

below you will find an article written by our school psychologist, Ms Karolina, about New Year's resolutions. We hope that it will inspire you :-)

New Year's Resolutions

For many people, the end of the year is connected with a time of summaries and reflections on past events or yearly achievements. We usually have time to reflect on new goals, we make a list of resolutions.

For many people, the phrase "New Year's resolution" puts a smile on their face, and is often the subject of jokes due to frequent failure of the goals set. British psychologist Cliff Arnall referred to this phenomenon and made the term "Blue Monday" for the third Monday of January - the date refers also to the first broken New Year's promises.

Given above, why do people make resolutions?

People set goals for various reasons, and one of them is self-efficacy. The feeling that we are successful, makes us happier and more likely to think positively. Along with a better mood, motivation and willingness to act also increase. Having a goal gives our action sense and specific direction.

The New Year is associated with new opportunities, so use this time to create resolutions by following a few tips:

#1 Define a realistic goal

Think about goals that can be met. Setting yourself unrealistic, difficult-to-achieve goals can lead to a feeling of failure and resignation. It is worth dividing your goal into a few small steps, defined in time - thanks to this, the goals will be specific, and achieving each small step will be motivating and bring you closer to the final goal.

! Example

As part of your healthier lifestyle resolution, consider introducing healthy habits gradually, such as eating one apple a day or increasing your daily step limit.

#2 Write about it

Describing your New Year's plans can be a helpful strategy. Putting your plans on paper will make them more real and it will also remind you of your assumptions.

#3 Speak about it

It's also a good idea to share your ideas with others - telling other people about your resolutions makes you more likely to follow them. However, make sure to share your plans with trusted people who will not laugh at and criticize your ideas.

Regardless of the time we choose to set our goals, it is worth remembering about their positive impact on action. Even if the resolutions are not fully implemented, the very fact of their motivating influence as well as the valuable experience of testing one's own abilities and possible correction of goals will be a success.

Sources:

Riediger, M., & Freund, A.M. (2004). Interference and facilitation among personal goals: Differential associations with subjective well-being and persistent goal pursuit. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 30(12), 1511–1523.

Sheeran, P., & Orbell, S. (2000). Self-schemas and the theory of planned behaviour. European Journal of Social Psychology, 30(4), 533–550.