New year, new me. Isn’t that one of the most common phrases we see and hear after Christmas and right before the new year? We hear about people’s new year’s resolutions and how they are planning on making the next year better than the last. We see posts all over social media about how the new year will change us and how we are going to start fresh and live better. I’ve seen SO MANY posts, like, “2019 broke me, but in 2020 I am coming back,” and “2020 is the start of a new decade. New decade = new me.” So many people have so many thoughts about how and why 2020 is going to be better than 2019.
But let’s face it. The truth is that nothing is necessarily going to change that just because it’s a new year. Yes, we DO get a fresh start on day one out of 365, but does that really matter? Do you really wake up on January first feeling different? I can tell you I do not. Last year, I actually woke up with my friends and we all said to each other, “it doesn’t feel like a new year.” Looking back, it’s because nothing changes. All the new year means is the earth has gone in a full cycle around the sun. So, yes, you most certainly can make new year’s resolutions and you can hope for the best in 2020, but nothing will change unless you change it.
I saw something on Instagram the other day from Yasmine Cheyenne and it made me realize this more clearly for the first time. January 1st, 2020 is the exact same as April 1st, 2019. Or May 1st, 2019, or any first day of the month, for that matter. The only thing that changes is the year, but the year doesn’t really play a part in anything. It takes effort to make the new year better, and the days are all the same unless you proactively change them. That’s why the idea of changing in the new year is really more about embracing a new perspective.
As I thought about all of this more and more, I thought about how I can make changes on January 1st, but I could also make those changes on April 1st, May 1st, June 1st, or any other first day of the month. So why do we feel more inclined to start on the first day of a new year rather than month?
That’s why I decided that this year, I will still make new year’s resolutions, but I will approach them from a new perspective. I will make a goal for the first 2-3 weeks of January, and I will check in on that goal after 2-3 weeks to hold myself accountable. If I have maintained my commitment, I will keep going, maybe make it harder, or maybe stay at that pace for a while. But the key is checking in to make sure I’m really following through. Why? Because America’s number one resolution is to eat healthier and work out more, but we all know that after January and February, the gym is way less crowded. That shows that we’re not great at maintaining our commitments, and I want to start fresh and maintain. Not start fresh and end quickly. Check-ins are key.
This idea of checking in can apply to every goal you have. Maybe you want to have a happier, brighter, more positive year. If that’s your goal, how are you going to achieve it? Will you put sticky notes on your mirror to make you happy when you wake up? If so, what happens when those sticky notes start to fall, and you forget to replace them? Then one day it hits you that your days have been more negative, and you’ll realize that you didn’t maintain that goal. What if you feel so sad and angry about failing, that you just turn to the internet and say, “2020 broke me, but 2021 I’m coming back?” If you think about that, isn’t that how many people must have seen 2019 and many past years?
So, this coming year, remember that while it is day 1/365, nothing really changes unless YOU change it. The universe isn’t going to change. The first day of January is going to feel the exact same as the first day of March. What will change is how you look at that first day of January, and how the plan you have in place to maintain your commitment. Break up your goals and follow through with them so you can maintain and succeed. How you chose to take this new year and change it for the better.
Still need to pick a goal? Well, I have lots of ideas. Let’s talk!
Happy new years and happy holidays!
With love,
Danielle