The New Year brings many expectations and goals people set for themselves to encourage a better and more fulfilling year. Every year people say the phrase “new year, new me” and begin challenges and habit changes for a month or so before falling off and going back to their old ways. And then, by the end of the year, they feel saddened by the fact that they once again didn’t follow through with their resolutions. This year, I propose a new approach, a way of meeting goals without the pressure and taking life a little less seriously.
Learn to Laugh at Yourself
At the end of the day, mistakes happen. This isn’t just a normal thing, it’s a good thing. Without mistakes, you’ll never learn to make changes, recover and try new things. Accept that in 2024, mistakes will happen and learning to laugh at them to lighten the mood and reduce the pressure on being perfect all the time will actually help you in being less scared to try new things. If you can laugh and smile through the mistakes being made, making them won’t be as scary and new things will seem like a fun challenge rather than something you have to do perfectly.
Cultivate a Playful Mindset
When you get older, it seems as if everyone has their adult lives together and goes about their corporate jobs with such grace and adult dullness. However, you don’t actually have to make life dull as an adult. Learn to approach every task as solving a puzzle or playing a game. Find the joy in each task and romanticize it. If you have to study for an exam, make an event out of it and study in timed intervals with mood-setting lighting and some good study snacks. Life doesn’t have to be boring even when approaching the less thrilling tasks. Everything can be fun, depending on how you approach it and the mindset you go into the task with.
Take Social Media Breaks
A lot of the New Year pressure stems from seeing everyone else focusing on their resolutions and feeling guilty if you haven’t been doing as much as others. Taking breaks from social media and really living in the present moment a bit more this year will relieve some of the pressure of being exactly like everyone else. Finding creative hobbies to do in your spare time, like painting, writing, journaling or baking, rather than mindless scrolling, will be more stimulating and in the end, it’s better for you anyway. It’s a reminder that social media is a person’s highlight reel and that everyone struggles in life the same ways you do. Just because you’re not seeing it, doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.
Expression is Key
Trends come and go in fashion, hobbies, lifestyle, etc. Learning to follow trends less and finding your own individual style simply based on what you gravitate toward when nobody else is watching or caring is key to taking life less seriously. What do you like when the pressure to be like everyone else is no longer there? How do you like to spend your time if nobody asked what you’re doing? Dress in the colours you like and engage in the activities that lift your spirits. Do what makes you laugh and smile, because in the end you make your own sunshine. Once you begin to do this, all of the pressure of being perfect comes off and you can sit back and enjoy your own individuality.
Life shouldn’t be full of pressure to do things. If you live your life constantly worried about what people think of you, if you’re doing enough or if you’re doing the right things then it isn’t your life anymore and it’s no longer enjoyable. This year, let’s take life a little less seriously, do things because you genuinely want to and have fun with every little thing you do. Romanticize your life to the max and you’ll find yourself in a much better mindset to approach the new year.