I Choose Mardi Gras Over New Year’s Resolutions
While everyone is making New Year’s Resolutions and committing to a dry January, I wanted to point out that this is virtually impossible for anyone in Louisiana. Just as everyone is trying to start fresh and be better versions of themselves, those native to Louisiana shift focus onto carnival season as the Mardi Gras celebrations commence. It is virtually impossible to go anywhere without king cake ready to throw off your diet goals or a Mardi Gras ball tempting to you to take a drink. This has really got me reflecting on just how unique our culture is and how we are always down for a good time. Laissez les bon temps rouler (Let the good times roll) is our motto, after all.
While it is great to set self-improvement goals for yourself, I often wonder if we set ourselves up for failure at the beginning of a New Year by placing so much pressure on ourselves. Research has shown that only 9% of Americans that make resolutions actually complete them and around 43% of people quit their resolutions by the end of January.
The truth is, we can start practicing self-oriented goals at any time of the year, not just at the start.
So, while everyone is focusing on their New Year’s resolutions, I’m choosing to focus on the togetherness of my culture. Mardi Gras is a time of parties, parades, and dancing and I’m here for all of it. Don’t get me wrong, I do set many goals for myself throughout the year. I just don’t necessarily subscribe to setting them for myself on January 1. I like to think of myself as an ongoing work in progress.
This world needs more celebrations, more king cake, and more togetherness. If I have the occasional glass of wine or indulge in a Keller’s king cake, I choose not to beat myself up over it.
