New Year's Resolution

   To have everything would make us thankful for nothing,
   To have nothing would make us thankful for everything.


There's always pleasure in achieving whatever it is that we have always wanted - or is there? Let's say we resolve to lose some weight this year. Would it really make us happier to have lost some weight by the end of the year? Or would it be more likely that we get the false reassurance that we could probably lose more weight - so that however much weight that has been lost does not count anymore.

It's good to have a new year's resolution, especially healthy ones, like losing weight, working harder, being nicer to others, etc. However, on reflection, I think it may be wiser to resolve on getting nothing - or to lose everything. Let me explain why.

At first, I thought my resolution is to be grateful for everything in the new year - saying thanks every morning, for every meal and every little achievement. Fortunately I quickly realize how futile this effort would be. Not only will I eventually forget to do it, I also imagine myself forgetting why I wanted to do it in the first place.

In other words, saying thanks - or rather, forcing ourselves to say thanks to every little thing - can turn into an empty ritual. This noble practice would eventually become an insincere habit. So, that's why I think I ought to do the opposite.

Instead of reminding myself to be thankful for everything, it's more practical to do whatever that would make a person do it naturally. And that is, by resolving to have nothing. A poor man's penny is worth much more than that of the rich man.

Of course, I don't expect to lose it all this new year. But that is precisely why I resolve to do so - my failure (to lose everything) would make me happier for another year (as I'll have much more than I ever wanted). However, if fate will be unkind to me, at least I can still be happy that I have achieved my new year resolution.

Happy New Year 2013!