Opinions of Saturday, 31 January 2015

Columnist: Eyiah, Joseph Kingsley

New Year Resolution Trap!

By Joe Kingsley Eyiah, OCT, Brookview MS, Toronto-Canada
It is a new year and it is resolution season! At the beginning of the year some of my students ‘angelically’ promised to do better in raising their grades during the 2nd Term of the school year. Those students in their ‘so-called new year resolution’ resolved to come to school punctually and to complete and submit all their class assignments on time. However, we are only a few weeks into the new year but most of the students have ‘failed’ in their resolutions! Why? Bad attitude!!
Very interesting! At the beginning of each year we hear people making resolutions to stay away from or change their bad behavior. Some resolve to lose weight or improve upon their good deeds only to find themselves gaining more weight or retrogressing in their good deeds before the year could even turn the corner. They unfortunately break their own promises to themselves.
What then is Resolution?
Resolution is simply defined as “the act of resolving or determining upon an action, course of action, method or procedure, etc.” It is therefore considered as a decision or determination to make a firm resolution to do something.
Unfortunately, such determination is often not backed with good attitude which could see it to fruition. It therefore becomes a mere promise. If we want to succeed with our determination we ought to cultivate the right attitude each moment towards carrying our decisions through. We have to reframe our roles and responsibilities continually to bring about achievable goals in our daily lives. We cannot eat our cake and still have it. Strong will power must be mustered along every inch of the way we decide to go; and with vehement and sincere prayer we will succeed! Attitude! Attitude!! Attitude!!!

Attitude?
Do not on your shoulder during last year into this year. Note that it is not the resolution you make that is very important but rather your attitude toward the resolution that would make or break you by the end of the year. Beware of New Year resolution trap! “Attitude is a small thing that makes a BIG DIFFERENCE”.
It is said that wisdom is efficient. Wisdom therefore calls us to forsake foolishness and to live!
Let us make decisions that can change us not promises to be broken! Don’t just fall into the resolution trap. Allow the spirit of God to help you make a difference in small things for positive change this year. HAPPY NEW YEAR!