IT IS time to pick New Year’s resolutions. The cynics will give up giving up – again – but for everyone else this is a genuine opportunity to start afresh.
And after developing a taste for chocolate-based Christmas breakfasts, and chain smoking through 30 hours of Frozen Planet and Downton Abbey, it is perhaps necessary that we make the most of it.
Last year, I decided to quit multiple vices – a month at a time.
In January, I curbed my daily Coca Cola habit. In February, I quit alcohol. In March, I said no to Facebook, which nearly killed me, and in April, I tried, and failed to give up texting.
For June, I gave up supermarkets to help out local traders and in July, I quit eating animal products and became a vegan.
Each month I made it my aim to chop out something, to see how the pure of heart live.
It was a strange experiment, but well worth it. There were some months that were real eye-openers.
Curtailing my Facebook time actually seemed to create more hours in the day. I actually finished reading Crime and Punishment.
In contrast, there were some things I realised I’d rather not give up. Stuff it, I like texting - the comedy 4am conversations and quirky plans with friends.
During my festival of resolutions I learned some lessons for any fellow Resolutionists.
1. Week one is difficult – but week two is worse. On one Wednesday I would have climbed out of the Gazette office windows and paraglided to a shop naked if it meant I could have a can of coke. Now that is product loyalty.
2. Deciding to curb a vice is not fun. Your friends will be eating salmon sandwiches while you are struggling to chew your vegan cheese.
3. On reflection, self-reinvention is worth it – because you learn what you’re like. You learn that you’re addicted to stupid things. And you’re doing something about it, and that is a valiant struggle.
So good luck – and go for it.
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