This is the con argument on making New Year’s Resolutions. To view the pro click here.

With the New Year comes new failures, and New Year’s resolutions are the perfect example of the most gigantic failure of all.

Everyone tries to somehow better themselves with these monumental goals that never get accomplished. Whatever the reason people seem to be compelled to improve. That’s great and all, trying to be that small change in the world, but only if those improvements are actually carried out instead of forgotten like last week’s leftovers.

Sure, you stop inhaling Ben & Jerry’s ice cream for a couple days, a couple weeks tops. Then it would seem as if your New Year’s resolution was erased from your memory.

People cannot commit to New Year’s resolutions.

As a solution, what if all New Year’s resolutions were treated as relationships?

For starters, people would never think twice about trying to succeed with some extreme mission like giving up chocolate when you’re the type of person who considers chocolate one of the five major food groups. Similarly, it could be compared to guys not going for the girls out of their league.

In dealing with New Year’s resolutions, people should be realistic. If you know you’ll never succeed with that girl or New Year’s resolution, why even bother? Both will only be a waste of time.

In addition, it’s those little things that make the difference in a relationship. They can either make or break the relationship. The same goes for resolutions, but instead of those little things being flowers or boxes of chocolate in the shape of a heart, they will be replaced by sticky notes.

Simple sticky note messages plastered on your bathroom mirror to remind you not to eat those forty bags of cheesy goodness can make all the difference in the world. Better yet, post them everywhere: on the dashboard of your car, your sock drawer, your forehead, wherever helps you to remember. You might even want to write a reminder on your hand with a permanent marker.

After a month, couples normally celebrate their relationship with an anniversary.

The same can be done for you and your New Year’s resolutions. Every month, congratulate yourself for not giving in to the temptation of scarfing down another batch of chocolate chip cookies.

However, all these suggestions are completely useless if you don’t keep one thing in mind.

Just as in a relationship, you can only get in return how much you put into the relationship in the first place.

You can’t expect that your relationship will automatically lead to your happily ever after. Just as you can’t assume you will maintain your resolution to the end of the year without any difficulty at all.

As expert on love and renowned author Nicholas Sparks once wrote, “So, it’s not going to be easy. It’s going to be really hard. You’re going to have to work at this every day.”

Effort is essential to maintain your relationship. Or in this case, your resolution.

Don’t be tempted by that blonde bating her eye lashes at you. Similarly, don’t be tempted by those layers of chocolate cake.

Be loyal to your New Year’s resolution. In the end, it will all be worth it.

Sydney Setree is a Managing Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.