Tá sé de nós againn a bheith an-dian orainn féin, go háirithe ag an am seo den bhliain. Geallaimid dúinn féin nach n-íosfaimid aon seacláid nó aon phrátaí agus go ndéanfaimid aclaíocht chuile lá agus nach n-ólfaimid braon alcóil.
Níl na rialacha seo réalaíoch nó cóir. Tá muintir na tíre seo faoi bhrú ag cúrsaí airgeadais agus fostaíochta agus níl a fhios agam an iad na meáin ná muid féin a chuireann muid faoi níos mó brú ag na rialacha seo don bhliain úr.
Dár ndóigh, bheadh sé iontach dá mbeimis ar fad in ann bia níos sláintiúla a ithe agus gan airgead a chaitheamh ar éadaí nó ar chúpla gloine fíona ach má ghlacaimid peirspictíocht an domhain mhóir is rudaí beaga iad na rudaí seo.
Tuigim cén fáth go ndéanann daoine na gealltanais seo, is deas an rud tosú arís agus tugann an bhliain nua deis do dhaoine é sin a dhéanamh ach feicim go bhfuil rudaí níos suntasaí agus níos fusa go bhféadfaimis a dhéanamh. Má gheallann tú duit féin go gcaithfidh tú níos fearr leat féin, mar shampla. Cé gur rud leithliseach é seo sa chéad áit, bíonn deá-thorthaí aige seo ar gach rud i do shaol.
Dá gcaithfeá deich nóiméad ar maidin, bíodh sé sa charr nó ar an mbus nó ag siúl chun na hoibre ag smaoineamh ar na rudaí ar mhaith leatsa a dhéanamh, i. laethanta saoire a thógáil, leabhar a léamh, labhairt le cara bheadh spin i bhfad níos dearfaí ort agus tú ag tosú lá oibre. Mar sin, bheifeá níos cumasaí ag obair an lá sin. Ansin agus tú ag dul abhaile, dá dtabharfá amach leabhar nótaí agus na rudaí seo ar mhaith leat a dhéanamh a scríobh síos agus cén chaoi leis an am a fháil le iad a dhéanamh bheadh sásamh le baint as sin freisin.
Mar sin, caith níos fearr leat féin agus bheifeá in ann caitheamh níos fearr le gach éinne i do shaol dá bharr.
Is scríbhneoir agus léachtóir le Gaeilge í Siún Ní Dhuinn in UCD
We have a habit of being very hard on ourselves, especially at this time of the year. We promise ourselves that we won’t eat any chocolate or potatoes, that we’ll do exercise every day and we won’t drink a drop of alcohol.
These ideals are neither realistic nor fair. People are under enough pressure regarding financial worries and employment pressures at the moment. I’m not sure if the extra pressures of New Year’s resolutions are heaped on by ourselves or by the media, but I am sure of one thing: they’re not good for us.
Of course, it would be great if we could all eat more healthily, and if we all abstained from buying clothes or a couple of glasses of wine, but if we take the larger perspective, these things are minute.
I understand why people undertake these challenges. The New Year gives people a chance to start again, in many ways. I see ways that would be more substantial and easier too! If you were to promise to treat yourself better, for example: on first impression, it seems a very selfish promise, but on further inspection it can lead to positive results on other areas of your life.
If you were to spend 10 minutes of your morning in the car, on the bus or walking into work, thinking about things you’d like to do, be they holidays you’d love to take, reading a book or speaking with a friend, you would be in better, more positive form and ready for a day at work. As a result, you may find yourself more capable at work, due to a better attitude.
And then on the way home, take out a notebook and write down these ideas and ways to do them. There is great satisfaction in that, also.
Therefore, be nicer to yourself and you’ll be able to treat the other people in your life better too.
Siún Ní Dhuinn is a writer and lecturer at UCD
