Here’s the thing: New Year’s resolutions always sort of suck. It’s so easy to convince yourself that when the clock strikes twelve and you enter the new year, you’ll suddenly become a better, and happier version of yourself. You’ll drink more water. You’ll go outside more. You’ll teach yourself guitar. You might even try eating some kale once in a while.
That’s not how it works, though. More often than not, you fail to achieve your New Year’s resolutions within the month. It’s nearly impossible to go from never having been inside a gym, to suddenly attending one for six days of the week. At the end of the year, you end up with a list of things that you’ve inevitably failed to do, and this odd belief that you’ll be better next time. That’s okay, I suppose, but it also overshadows all the personal growth you’ve had over the past year. Drinking more water is great, sure, but crossing that off of a list says nothing about what you’ve done for the previous 365 days.
Come to think of it, it’s all arbitrary either way. Midnight on December 31st marks one full rotation around the sun, but this marker was chosen at random. There’s nothing inherently magical about it. You don’t become a different person overnight— the same way you didn’t suddenly hit puberty at twelve, or fill with endless wisdom the day you turned eighteen years old. It’s so easy to use the New Year as just an excuse to do things that aren’t that great— for your mind, for your body, your soul, and for others. The fresh year isn’t an excuse to forgive all the things you’ve done in the months leading up to January, and it sure doesn’t erase all the awful things you’ve put into your body during the holidays. The New Year isn’t a blank slate. It’s just a time to sit down and reflect.
I’m all in favour of self-reflection and self-assessment. It’s always good to want to better yourself, regardless of the time. This self-improvement, though, should be a constant and consistent thing that happens throughout the other 364 days of the year. Improve yourself every day. If that improvement isn’t in the measurable standards of drinking more water or going to the gym, it’s okay. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Personal growth isn’t always visible growth. Just as long you’re still growing, be sure to keep in mind that New Years resolutions has nothing to do with the myth of January 1st. You’re still you!