Thoughts on: new year's resolutions

NEW YEAR NEW ME GUYS!! Not really, but I have seen a lot of negative attitudes towards new year's resolutions this year and it got me thinking (shock!).

I have always done new year's resolutions ever since I can remember... at least since I have been able to use a pen. The tradition in my family is that on new year's eve, we drink a bottle of champagne, sit at a table and write our new year's resolutions, and then we fold up the paper and place it into the empty bottle and these bottles are kept somewhere dingy and we never look at them again.

The criticism that I have read or heard about new year's resolutions is that you shouldn't have to wait for a new year to better yourself and that no one sticks to them anyway. In defence of new year's resolutions, I will argue that they are a great thing, and here is why:

1. December is a disgusting month
I love December because my family celebrates Christmas, but lets just say after a month of too much drinking and too much stuffing... most of my clothes don't really fit me anymore. Thereby making January a great time to think about my eating and exercise habits and put me back into gear. Considering a lot of people's resolutions are based around health, January is the best time to reconsider how you treat your body because no one wants to be restricting themselves in December and you've got enough time before you want to be feeling cute in very little clothing in the summer months (I'm sure you look cute all the time though).

As for other resolutions, you've got to start at some point so why not put them off until January?

2. January is a disgusting month
This applies more if you don't live in Australia/NZ of course but January in many parts of the world is quite grim. The holidays are over and it's really cold and you're back at work and you're poor. Fun! Therefore, it's quite nice to have some aspirations for the upcoming months at least so that you don't go into a downward spiral of utter misery.

3. It's a harmless tradition
As I mentioned before, for my family it's a tradition and it brings us all together and we have an excuse to tank a bottle of champagne.

4. Bettering yourself is a good thing
If new year's resolutions encourage people to actually attempt to better themselves, then there is really no reason for this to be frowned upon. No matter how sceptical you are about resolutions, some people do actually manage to stick to them or at least make steps towards their goals.

Thoughts?