I have never made a New Year’s resolution in my life; I can no longer say that. After 28 years, on January 1, 2019 I decided to make a New Year’s resolution. Before getting to my resolution (that is so strategically placed in the title) I want to talk about why I’ve never partaken in this yearly tradition to millions of mostly Westerners, but also found in the East.
The main reason is this; I rather just set goals and surpass them instead of labeling them as resolutions, where in 2013, Forbes reported only 8% of people successfully followed through with their New Year’s resolutions.[v] In 2015, US News reported, by February, 80% of New Year’s resolutions were doomed for failure.[vi]
For this year, Patch.com found the top New Year’s resolutions are: Eat better (37%), Exercise more (37%), Spend less (37%), Self-care (24%), Read more (18%), Learn a new skill (15%), Get a new job (14%), Make new friends (13%), Get a new hobby (13%). While only 32% of people said they weren’t planning on making New Year’s resolutions in a recent survey.
While my healthy habits of eating well and valuing exercise high in my list of lifestyle priorities wouldn’t be suitable for a resolution, putting a number on the amount of books I read would. And hey look, I fall under the 18% of “Read more” (I suppose?)
Which brings me to my 2018 New Year’s resolution to read 25 books in a year; why 25, no idea (for those who know me – know this number is easily attainable.) On January 4, 2018 I finished my first book; How to Avoid Falling in Love with a Jerk by John Van EPP, Ph.D. while on September 6, 2018 I finished my 25th book The Bhagavad Gita translated by Juan Mascaro; as you can see – my interests and repertoire of books have a vast range of topics. From guilty pleasures, fiction, self-help, faith, and classics. Listed below are in sequential order the titles and dates upon completion for anyone interested!
- How to Avoid Falling in Love with a Jerk by John Van EPP, Ph.D.
January 4, 2018 - Side Hustle from Idea to Income in 27 Days by Chris Guillebeau
January 9, 2018 - What Every Body is Saying by Joe Navarro with Marvin Karlins, Ph.D.
January 15, 2018 - The 4–Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
February 1, 2018 - Beautiful You by Chuck Palahniuk
February 20, 2018 - The Normal Bar by Chrisanna Northrup, Pepper Schwartz, Ph.D., James Witte, Ph.D.
February 25, 2018 - Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid
February 27, 2018 - One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
March … 2018 (this is currently loaned to someone and I don’t know the exact date) - The Productivity Project by Chris Bailey
April 18, 2018 - Tribe of Mentors by Timothy Ferriss
April 27, 2018 - What are You Going to Believe? by Joyce Meyer
May 2, 2018 - The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
May 3, 2018 - Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer
May 8, 2018 - The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Timothy Keller
May 9, 2018 - Girlfriends by Carmen Renee Berry & Tamara Traeder
May 12, 2018 - The Heart of Man by WM Paul Young, Jackie Hill Perry, Dan B. Allender, Jay Stringer, John & Stasi Eldredge
May 13, 2018 - You’re Going to Be Okay by Holley Gerth
May 23, 2018 - Do Yourself a Favor…Forgive by Joyce Meyer
May 29, 2018 - Shame to Honor by Charles Lambalika
May 31, 2018 - Unglued by Lysa Terkeurst
June 8, 2018 - Uninvited by Lysa Terkeurst
June 19, 2018 - You’re Already Amazing by Holley Gerth
June 27, 2018 - You’re Loved No Matter What by Holley Gerth
August 21, 2018 - You Do You by Sarah Knight
August 31, 2018 - The Bhagavad Gita translated by Juan Mascaro
September 6, 2018
Not to mention I am a third of the way through The Science of the Mind by Ernest Holmes and daily I read a page of The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman; meaning I by no means planned to stop at 25 books in a year–only a resolution; I can proudly say I make the success rates increase!
In the near future I am contemplating making a quick video review of each book; would you be interested in this?
Also, I’d love to hear if you set a New Year’s resolution for 2018; if you are still sticking to your guns about it, if you have failed at one in the past, and if you plan to set one for 2019!
Comment Below!
RELIABLEFIT | Travel. Blog. Photography 