By Abby O'Reilly | 1 January 2009, 11:28

Ah, it’s 2009. January 1st. Happy New Year! It’s time for fresh starts and all that (if you buy into the idea that the end of one calendar year and the beginning of another can induce significant changes to your lifestyle). I do. Or at least I begin each year with a list of resolutions I hope to fulfil. While I find New Year’s Eve an anti-climax, New Year’s Day always seems to effervesce with possibility; both hopeful and exciting. The only time when the forthcoming 12 months are a complete tabula rasa to colour as we wish. What could be more motivating than that?

Sure, I know that realistically I could make changes at anytime throughout the year, but there’s something about the chiming of midnight on December 31st that makes my desires seem more attainable. The fact that a number of people also feel this way means there is comfort in the collective want for change (and that there is always someone to console you if you, as does happen, abandon your initial plans). According to Wikipedia, a New Year’s Resolution “is a commitment that an individual makes to a project or the reforming of a habit, often a lifestyle change that is generally interpreted as advantageous.”

The top 15 goals people commonly set are to: lose weight, gain weight, get out of debt, save money, get a better job, get fit, eat right, get a better education, drink less alcohol, quit smoking, reduce stress, take a trip, volunteer to help others, be less grumpy and be more independent. So, if you have any resolutions, what are yours?

The vast majority of mine are covered by this list. I want to lose weight, be healthier, exercise more, write more, read more, and spend less time online so that my eyes don’t shrivel up and turn to dust by the time I’m 26 (to name a few), although my complete and utter lack of will power means I’ll probably be writing the same thing this time next year. Ah well, they say it’s the thought that counts, and in this instance it’s a sentiment I am more than happy to endorse!

On the subject of New Year’s Resolutions, however, I did happen across this cartoon:

The look of wavering indifference on her face as she lifts her coffee and obviously thinks her partner (presuming it is her partner) is a complete moron is priceless. Here’s hoping 2009 will herald a greater move towards gender equality!