On December 31st, nearly every person in the world (at least the United States) makes a New Year’s resolution, such as sleeping earlier, doing homework, getting straight A’s, and more bull crap.  (forgot to mention the most hackneyed of all: losing 9000 pounds because of you think 125 pounds is too heavy).  Then, on the first day of the year, you begin your “soon-to-be” routine of eating 5 ounces of raisins every day, a fat-free yogurt, and fruits.  It takes all of your effort to avoid “fatty” foods, such as milk chocolate, 200 pound steak, or KFC.  When the day (which will probably feel like a whole year) is finally over, you loudly yell a “hurrah” at your one day success.  The very next day, however, you receive an invite for a New Year’s Party, which will of course have the so-called fatty foods mentioned earlier.  There you go; with every chicken leg you devour and every beer you drink, you forget your New Year’s resolution little by little. Sounds familiar? Sure does.

So do New Year resolutions Actually work? 

“It’s relative.”  Such is a common quote that comes up in philosophical discussions on whether the dang chicken or egg came first.  Yet, this can also be applied here.  What is YOUR definition of a resolution?  

The common person that is described above is most likely someone who doesn’t know what a resolution is.  A mere statement is not a resolution.  Now, a statement that is backed up by action and mental determination is a resolution.  

So in relative terms, New Year Resolutions do work.  New Year’s Statements, on the other hand, DO NOT work. 

Now this whole aforementioned scenario is quite humanistic.  In hopes of not offending any that are believers of this…ideology… I will only say that resolutions without a true purpose are quite useless.  

In my case, my belief in God is my reason for my resolutions.  What is yours?