Do New Year's resolutions set you up for disappointments and depression? They can, so be careful about your resolutions.

Depression and New Year's Resolutions

Be realistic, don't give up, and good luck!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I never make New Years resolution...they were always something I never attained so I finally figured why bother making resolutions!

Usually they do set me up. This has been the first one in decades I did not cry at all. YAY me!

Connie, I think we've all had that kind of experience, which is why we get disappointed.

Good for you, Jilly! Yay!!

thank you, kitten! It's a major accomplishment for me! Not one cry! I actually had a lovely day. I think it bodes well for 2012.

I am setting my goal sights low - i just want to get my low-income application stuff off my plate. With any left over time I want to improve my nutrition, fitness and level of organization <---- but am having no stress on those things. I will just take them as i feel inspired to.

That's the key, Jilly. Setting those expectations of yourself too high is what causes us to be disappointed with ourselves and give up. Sounds like you've got things working in your favor this time!

Kitten, your article is very good and beneficial for those who have set up "unrealistic expectations" for themselves. I used to do this to myself and came out of it feeling as if I had failed not only others, but, myself. That was many years ago and I stopped making resolutions entirely.

I now set moderate goals for myself that I know for certain I can keep and that helps me to grow emotionally and spiritually.

Thank you so much for bringing up this discussion.

I am like you, Phyllis. I don't think up New Year's resolutions anymore. I just vow to myself to do better during the year in certain areas of my life, and it is always a work in progress.

Thank you, Kitten! I love that you guys are such excellent cheerleaders. I so need that.

"With any left over time I want to improve my nutrition, fitness and level of organization" - I wanted to mention that the nutrition element is coming along great! And the organization is ongoing but I feel much better about things since i started working on my life binders.

The fitness thing I think will come after I get the nutrition down as a daily habit. I feel more mentally clear already - a nice thing.

Thanks for the compliment, Phyllis. I think those unrealistic expectations are very common and that they might even have something to do with the also very common seasonal depression (SAD) that so many people have. Glad you were ahead of the game and stopped your resolutions years ago!

I get SAD. I stopped that whole train by leaving Seattle and going back to AZ. Seattle is amazing and beautiful and fun, but also very much a damp, dimly-lit place.

Jilly, I've never been to Seattle, but I've always heard it described that way. One or two days of gloomy weather bring me down. If I lived there, I'd be in really bad shape in no time! Sounds like you made a great decision when you left there!

It's a great place to visit though.

But I love Arizona. next favorite is California. I like it sunny.

My New Year's resolutions actually help keep me going throughout the year. Even if I don't fully achieve them all, at least I have something to strive for. It makes me feel good when I know that I'm making SIGNIFICANT progress.