Every year, after a joyful December spent splurging and indulging on the hedonistic pleasures of life, we reach the highly anticipated yet slightly dreaded beginning of the New Year. In some ways, it’s refreshing to be offered a clean start- a re-do, where we can forget about all the mistakes and faults of the former year and focus on starting anew. Certainly, such optimistic attitudes are healthy and inspiring, especially if the past year contains regrets, we’d rather leave behind us. It’s important, though, not to fall for the swarm of advertising that presents January as the be-all-end-all of our existence, upon which the success of our entire year rests.
Industry experts will tell you that New Years Resolutions are an optimal tool for selling. Companies thrive off providing consumers with the solution to all their problems at the time in which they are most motivated to make a change. Drinking less alcohol this year? Here’s a subscription to an app that will track your progress, and a tequila-free bottle of tequila. Embracing skin care? Here’s a packet of sea moss and some coconut oil. Those few extra pounds you gained over Christmas? Here’s a discounted gym membership, laxative tea, and lifetime supply of apple cider vinegar.
The weight-loss cult, in particular, is a big one as it tends to be a high priority for many, especially as we re-enter into an era of aspiring to the 90s chic aesthetic, fuelled by an army of celebrities on Ozempic. It’s typical for people to let the January dedication spur on a month of solid gym attendance, which inevitably drops off as soon as we hit February, resulting in an overwhelming feeling of guilt and failure. Little do we realise; this was the entire purpose of producers all along! The more guilt, shame, and regret that we accommodate, the easier it becomes for us to be sold answers and solutions. Capitalism thrives off insecurity, and New Years Resolutions are a certified way to create this insecurity, by hyping up the creation of unattainable, unrealistic goals.
The real solution is to be kinder to ourselves, setting standards which are actually attainable, and don’t require us to do four workouts a day whilst only consuming black coffee and eggs. Social media would have us believe not only that New Years is all about developing resolutions that in some way aid self-improvement, but that these resolutions must be extreme for any real improvement to take place. There is absolutely nothing wrong with setting goals for January – in fact, the idea is inspiring and encourages us to be self-reflective in ways we may not otherwise be. The issue comes from the proliferation of the idea that self-improvement can only be achieved through drastic and costly changes. In reality, implementing smaller targets that are challenging but still within reach, are safer, more sustainable and are likely to yield more success in the long run.
So don’t fall prey to the swarm of advertising that will tell you otherwise. Remember that these notions of turning our lives around as soon as it hits January are ways to inspire extreme lifestyle changes that corporations can profit from. Set reachable resolutions that are personalised, attainable, and won’t be forgotten about by day 32. Let nobody make you feel guilty about it – the new year should not be about fuelling anybody else’s agenda; it should be about doing whatever is right for you.