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Updates from Upperclassmen by Meer Gach and Taylor Larsen

It is finally the new year, a chance to become our best selves, a time to be hopeful, to get out of our comfort zone and do something courageous. Use this year as a clean slate and attempt some new goals, or retry some goals you failed last year. This can be the year that you will achieve your resolutions. Get those positive affirmations into your mind, get out of your bed and get out of your comfort zone. This time you will be your new you.

Your mindset plays a huge part in your goals and progress. Negativity about how your resolution will turn out — like ending up not doing it at all or losing focus — will get to you, and your progress may eventually plummet. It is also not helpful to keep your same habits that have been preventing you from doing your goal. Old habits and mindsets may creep in, so you’ll need to find the awareness and motivation to overcome them.

I (Taylor) am very familiar with the resolution of exercising more because it was once my own resolution. I have been going to the gym for the past couple of years now, so for me, it is a routine thing. Each night that I go, it is around the same time, and I am there for the same amount of time. With doing this I see the same handful of people working out each night, as it is most likely a routine for them as well. I see the same people all throughout the year, until we get to January.

During the first few weeks of the new year, the gym is always packed. I see the few familiar faces along with many new ones. I see a lot of people who are nervous and confused. Being new to the gym is scary and it takes a lot of courage. You just have to push through the first few weeks, and eventually, it will become a routine for you as well. But for most people that is very difficult because by the time February comes around, a majority of those hopeful people with a goal to better themselves have stopped coming.

It’s not only those with the resolution of exercising more who don’t fulfill their resolution, it is many people with many different resolutions. Change is a difficult thing and it takes a lot of time, effort and courage. Many of the hopeful people with New Year’s resolutions quickly lose motivation and go back to their old way of living.

Saying positive affirmations daily may get your mind to remove the negative mindset and to bring yourself to being positive about your progress. The environment you’re in may also play a part with how your mindset is; surround yourself with positivity and encouragement. Your mind may be used to the habits and the thoughts, but receiving positivity will help bring you to be your best self.

Your consistency and focus matters. Like the people Taylor sees then stops seeing at the gym, you may have forgotten about your goal or taken a day or even a month off. That does not mean you need to give up. Persevere, believe and you will see results. Remind yourself why you wanted to achieve these, why you decided to start this year. It is OK if you fall behind because you can get yourself back on track. We all fall out of place sometimes; what matters is how you get yourself back on track. Keep reminding yourself of the new you.

To really get into the resolution process, write down each resolution, plan out how you’re going to do each resolution, why you want it and when you’ll want to achieve it. Keep this resolution with you and pull back to it when you drift away.

Any of these can and will help you reach your new you. It is OK to fail. What matters the most is finding your way to get yourself back into the plan and continue with the positive mindset. It is a new year and a clean slate. Do not let any challenges bring you back to your old habits. You can do this.

Meer Gach is a junior and Taylor Larsen is a senior at Albert Lea High School.