The Garage 347

OPINION
Not too
late for
New Year
resolutions
So, January is almost over, the longest and hardest
month of the year is practically finished, congratulations!
Did you make any New Year resolutions?
Can you remember what they were?
Usually, most people focus on
getting healthier, changing their
work situation or improving their
personal life.
So, for me personally, I have some
specific business goals for this year and
a burning ambition to lose a stone or
two (but given what I eat that may prove
to be a futile exercise!). As I’m at the
Automechanika Show this year, I also have
a very real and hard deadline.
So, what are yours?
Why do we do it though, why wait until
the start of a new year before we make a
promise to improve or change ourselves?
And here’s the thing, you don’t need to.
You don’t have to wait 11 more months to
make another resolution, it doesn’t have
to be an annual thing.
Think about it?
You don’t need to make a resolution
once a year to change or improve anything.
Had a bad start to the day? Have a good
afternoon and make up for it.
Had a hard day, do better tomorrow.
Had a tough week, have the weekend
off to reset and come back the following
week, stronger.
Even if you manage to have a bad
month, there’s nothing to stop you from
starting the next month with a new or
improved approach.
It doesn’t even have to be a monthly
thing; you could improve the next quarter
or season if you need to.
The point I’m making is this, you don’t
need to wait for January to make a
change, sometimes all you need to do
is stop, step back, breath deep, and go
again. Nothing ever goes as you planned,
and failing usually means you are trying
something new or different. And that’s ok,
because that’s how you learn, improve or
get better.
I’ve always said it doesn’t matter how
you start the day, it’s how you finish that
counts. You could apply that principle to
any week or month, but I try to reset daily.
For me it works better, but for you it may
be different?
But if you change nothing, then the
result will usually be the same. If you are
happy with the outcome, then change
nothing. But if you do want to change or
improve something, then something you
do will usually have to change.
Scared of failing?
We all are, but not trying is even worse
in my opinion. I’ve also found that most
people will be supportive if they can see
you are trying to do something different,
so don’t be put off. Go for it.
Be the change, make the difference.
Making a new routine or habit is
hard, it’s routine because it’s easy or
convenient, it’s called a comfort zone
By Onkar Chahal
for a reason. And breaking that is very
difficult. It takes a conscious effort to
maintain or keep it going. But hang in
there because at the end of the day/
week/month/year you’ll be able to see
the improvements you made
It’s also usually true that the harder the
habit is to break, the better you will feel
for it.
So don’t be scared, intimidated or put
off.
You want it?
Go for it. Be the change. Believe in
yourself.
Make it happen.
Unless you don’t want to, in which case
carry on as you are. Because that’s ok too.
Whatever your plans are, I hope you
achieve them. Have a fantastic 2023
everyone!
Right, I’m off to the gym now . . .
18 THE GARAGE
18 News Onkar Team Arlington.indd 1 24/01/2023 15:50