Dixya Poudel

Greetings and well wishes were exchanged in the Nepali communities worldwide with the arrival of Nepali New Year 2078. Social media flooded with people's wishes as many posted their resolutions for the future.
Traditionally, resolutions are set at the beginning of the year and are then followed throughout the year. They represent concrete or even lofty wishes that a person aims to fulfil by the end of the year. While some Nepalis have been quite forthright about their resolutions, others are prodding themselves quietly to fulfil their wishes.
This year, students are gearing up for a rigorous education either through virtual platforms or through regular physical classes. Furthermore, employers and employees are aspiring for professional heights. Parents might be hoping for their children to succeed in school or at work.

Feeling Thrills
New Year is thus a new beginning when people feel a thrill of hope and positive vibrations in the air. However, adhering to new resolutions might be daunting in the long run once we run out of motivation and inspiration. Yet, through a few simple steps we can assure ourselves of running that extra mile, opting for healthy foods and performing better at our schools or workplace.
The first step would be to consistently remind ourselves of our aspirations and resolutions. Every achievement is first envisioned in the mind and then enacted in life. Writing down things we want to achieve this year further makes it possible to track our achievements. They could be goals as minor as curbing sugar in our diet or limiting our screen time. Therefore, let's shift our resolutions from consciousness to paper. The next step would be accountability. It means showing up and seeing things through instead of giving up on the first obstacle. We also need to keep in mind that our resolutions don't have to be momentous. Most often success isn’t overnight; instead it is a series of small wins through a rather long period of time.
Sharing our goals with people in our lives or even in the vastness of social media can keep us motivated to prod through. Journaling can certainly help. Things mostly seem to converge in a greater perspective in hindsight. If we keep documenting our achievements however small, we may get a dopamine surge that could keep us motivated.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter released in the brain that boosts our confidence and self-esteem. It is triggered through successes and the social, material and financial rewards achieved through fulfilment of our ambitions. Further keeping our resolutions in mind, we need to choose the right environment for our growth. Do people in our social circle motivate and inspire us? Further, are they conducive to our success?
How often have we envied successful people for their achievements? Envy is a particularly trending emotion today among people in social media. However much we have achieved in life, there are others who have achieved more. And the social media has become a haven to present a polished account of our lives. What we see in social media can be far from reality. Nepali youth particularly are quite invested in their social media.
It has become common for them to present themselves virtually. Lives are now lived in snapshots and deeply curated captions in the social networking sites. However, it is still possible to live a more authentic life in the virtual world. If we share our goals, resolutions and ambitions sincerely in the threads of internet and keep track of them, we might be rewarded with positive feedback. Such feedbacks fuel further motivation.

Motivation
As said earlier, neurotransmitters on our brains are a source of consistent motivation. When we keep promises to ourselves, see through our obstacles and are consequently rewarded, feel-good neurotransmitter such as dopamine is released.
Another such neurotransmitter is serotonin that determines our moods. Thus, a positive environment that induces us to feel good about ourselves and our achievements can keep us in an optimistic mood through bursts of serotonin and dopamine.
It is vital that our psychological health be in its prime form. If not, it could seep through our daily lives and limit our productivity and creativity. Keeping an open mind is conducive to mental health. And in the long run, our successes reflect our surroundings as people in our lives determine our moods, feelings and thoughts. A supportive and loving family and friends ensure our emotional wellbeing. Thus, keeping ourselves psychologically, emotionally and cognitively agile should be a priority.
In the wake of the pandemic, lives have upturned and there have been losses in human lives and capital. It takes strength to keep ourselves motivated, especially in current times. However, resolutions can certainly take successful forms if we persevere conscientiously. By living a life of principles and following through our resolutions, it is possible to achieve personal and professional aspirations.

(Paudel is a freelance writer)