Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net

Once again, its another new year. As the clock chimed midnight, everyone began spamming sms-es and facebook statuses, wishing everyone a happy new year. (Both in Singapore and London)

Then within the hour, facebook notes are then spammed with resolutions for the new year. A quick detour to Wikipedia gave religious parallels to the idea of these resolutions, including Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement) in Judaism's New Year, Rosh Hashanah, and reflections through Christian fasting period of Lent, both of which I have never even remotely heard of before.

Many people decided that they would exercise and lose weight this new year. Some resolve to work harder in school, and well, generally nice and happy things that we would usually find excuses to not do normally.

As I scrolled through the lengthy lists of resolutions, wondering if there was an abridged version somewhere, there comes a strong sense of deja-vu. Haven't I done this before last year? And, wasn't it the same things really? Perhaps with few points with some crossed off from last year, and plenty more added onto the list.

Then came the existential crisis for the new years resolution within my own mind? Why do we make them in the first place? What's the point of having a list of things to do within the year, and not only not get them done, but constantly increasing the list until it stretches to the abyss? Why resolve to do things within the year when we know its probably humanly impossible to ever complete them? Findings also show that only 12% of resolutions ever gets achieved.

I must confess, the thought did get me rather depressed for a period of time, not because it really mattered to me; I've never made any resolutions in the New Year my whole life, but just because its an excuse to feel just remotely sad. Then I asked myself, what would then be the ideal New Year's Resolution(NYR) then? Logically, it would be something that could and should be completed within the new year. And not be carried over to the next year should it not be completed before the new year...

Then came the realization. Damn, that's even more sad isn't it? Not doing something just because I didn't get it done within the time limit? Many things that I thought were issues instantly evaporated, and the sunshine shone down upon gloomy London once again.

If anything, what's wrong with the NYR is the New Year. Why resolve only when its the New Year? It is but another day. Keep a bucket list. Be spontaneous, not only when the year ends. Think of it as the daily resolution, not the year's.

Then I wonder, what's my NYR? Doesn't matter really, since I quite subscribe to Eric Zorn's view.

......

"
Making resolutions is a cleansing ritual of self assessment and repentance that demands personal honesty and, ultimately, reinforces humility. Breaking them is part of the cycle.
"

......

Survive a New Year my Friends.