Tag Archives: new year resolutions

Rethinking my New Year Resolutions

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Can you believe it’s already a couple of months into 2024? If you like me and have a list of New Year resolutions to accomplish this year, you will understand what I’m going through. Reflecting on the resolutions I set for myself at the beginning of the year, I’m disappointed. 

As a teen, I’m no stranger to the ebb and flow of enthusiasm that comes with goal-setting. At midnight on New Year’s Eve, I was excited, armed with a list of resolutions I was convinced would transform my life, maybe just a little.

Yet, as the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months, that initial spark of determination began to flicker. School assignments piled up, extracurricular activities demanded more of my time, and the daily grind of teenage life overshadowed my lofty aspirations.

It wasn’t until recently that I took a step back to reassess where I stood with my resolutions. Sitting down with my journal, I flipped through the pages, revisiting the goals I had written down with such fervor months ago. Some seemed laughably unrealistic now, while others felt attainable with some recalibration.

One resolution that stood out to me was my commitment to prioritize self-care. I neglected my well-being in the craziness of school, friends, and obligations. Late nights cramming for exams had become the norm, and exercise had taken a backseat to whatever needed to be done. I realized I needed to prioritize self-care to thrive and not just survive.

So, I started small. I set a bedtime for myself and stuck to it religiously, no matter how tempting it was to stay up late scrolling through social media. I put time into my schedule for exercise, whether going for a run or practicing yoga in my bedroom. Most importantly, I learned to say no to activities that drained me mentally and emotionally, choosing instead to spend my time on things that brought me joy, fulfillment, and a bit of relaxation.

Another resolution that needed a bit of tweaking was my goal to improve my grades. While aiming for straight A’s sounded impressive in theory, the reality was that I was spreading myself too thin trying to excel in every subject. Instead, I focused on critical areas where I could improve significantly. I sought extra help from teachers, formed study groups with classmates, and adopted better time management strategies to stay on top of my assignments.

Reflecting on my journey over the past few months, I realize that the key to success lies not in grandiose gestures or sweeping declarations but in our small, everyday choices. It’s about showing up for ourselves, even when it’s hard, and adapting and evolving as we grow. So here I am, rekindling the flame of my New Year’s resolutions, armed with a newfound sense of purpose and determination to make the most of the rest of this year. I hope you also rethink your New Year resolution so it brings you the joy of a little victory every day.

If you need help starting or know what to do with a healthy way to set goals and resolve them, I invite you to check out some of these books from the Library.

Total Teen, Tracy Anderson’s Guide to Health, Happiness and Ruling Your World.

You, the Owner’s Manual for Teens

A Guide to A Healthy Body and Happy Life

The Secret to Teen Power by Harrington, Paul

The Self-esteem Habit for Teens

50 Simple Ways to Build Your Confidence Every Day by Schab, Lisa M.

Here’s to everyday victory!

Bella H

Writing Prompts

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One of my resolutions this year was to start writing more stories, so I’ve decided to use the blog to help me do that in a fun way. I’ll pick two or three prompts and write a short story instead of a book or movie review. If you like the story I’ve started, feel free to comment your thoughts or any of your own prompt suggestions. I also hope to get blog readers more involved with the site, so we’ll see how this experiment goes. Hope you enjoy!

Prompt: Write for 5 minutes with your eyes closed. Start with “I remember”.

     I remember the sound of the wind as we soared through the air. I felt light as a feather, flying next to you. So calm. So free. I let out a scream to release the breath from my lungs. It was so relaxing. More so than I’d ever felt before. I could no longer see you as you zoomed ahead through the clouds, but I heard the pulse of your heartbeat in my head. Steady and full. We were connected. Two beings made into one. You were mine and I was yours. There was no other way to move than with you.

     The tree branches brushed by my ears as I flew by. Then, I froze. There was an unusual sound. A buzzing in my ear. It persisted, getting louder and louder, until it was all I could hear. The noise battled against the wind, fighting for my attention. I called ahead, but there was no answer. You were gone. Suddenly, I couldn’t hold myself up any longer and I fell. Thrashing through the trees, I called out to you. I wanted you to save me, but you weren’t there to catch my fall. With a crash I landed, crushing my wings beneath me. The last sound I heard was of your breath, racing with mine, until it slowed to a stop.

I really like this prompt because it allows the reader to let out their thoughts without stopping, and it’s just a flow of continuous writing that comes from absolutely no planning. You simply write, freehanded. I’m not sure why bird-like creatures came to mind, but I was very interested to know that this story was the first that I thought of.

Prompt: The eye color of humans changes with an individual’s current emotions. One person is born without this trait and is mistrusted by many people.

    My eyes have always been blue. The color of sadness, most seem to think. But I liked to believe I have a shred of hope in them, even though I’ve only noticed one day when they happened to pulse a bright gold. Other than that, it’s always been a blue tinted world for me.

     I bet I would be the biggest freak in school if it wasn’t for him. No one knew his name. Everyone just called him “Gray”. His eyes never changed from the black and white light that was colorless, emotionless. As the outcast of the school, people often joked why they weren’t just blue and miserable or even black. But nonetheless, his gray eyes made him somewhat of a haunting figure in our sea of pinks and yellows and reds. Even the teachers whispered behind his back, afraid they’d have the very pleasure of him in their class. To be around the ghost was to associate yourself with the unfeeling, uncaring portion of society.

      At least I had feelings. At least I could walk around all day knowing that I had a soul. Sure, everyday was sulky, but at least there was color. I wondered what it was like to see with no shades of anything, no pigment, no idea of what the world really looked like. Everyone said he’d been born a freak, but no one really knew for sure. One thing I did know, not to get in the way of the boy who felt nothing.

This prompt just seemed like an interesting topic. I didn’t have a plan for this story either, so I chose to interpret it this way.

-Sabrina C., 11th Grade