Letting go of unrealistic expectations and focusing on growth that lasts
Everyone enters the new year with an abundance of big goals that they hope to achieve. Whether it be shedding off some weight, getting better grades or gaining more wealth, there is this invisible hope that when the clock strikes twelve on New Year’s Eve, dreams seem much more attainable. But the reality is that today is no different from yesterday, and it is unlikely to see immediate, significant changes just because a new calendar year has begun. Give it a few weeks, and everyone who had made those goals has forgotten all about them.
Instead of holding yourself to extravagant standards and hoping for instant success, many alternative goal-setting strategies for the future will mitigate disappointment. When I was planning what I wanted to accomplish for the new year, I took different approaches which I had not used previously. It has only been one month into 2026, and I already feel more fulfilled than I was a year ago.
Before thinking about what I wanted to change for 2026, I looked back on what I did well and what was not so good in 2025. Reflecting on the entire year as a whole, I have changed a lot as a person, physically and mentally. College is a weird time in everyone’s lives, where we all are discovering more about ourselves and learning to be thriving adults.
Over the course of 2025, I made amazing new friendships with people whom I continue to care deeply about. I may have had a few bumps in my social life along the way, but I was able to quickly move on and prioritize those who care for me as much as I do for them.
Through my academics, I struggled in some classes, and though I did not always ace every exam, I am grateful for the opportunity to academically challenge myself to know what I am truly capable of. This also helped me uncover career paths I genuinely resonated with and can envision myself in.
Wellness was also something I took more seriously, especially towards the middle and end parts of 2025. Eating balanced meals, drinking enough water, getting enough sleep and maintaining adequate amounts of exercise throughout the week were all strategies to deliver my body the support it needed. However, there were also several episodes where I found myself neglecting my health more than usual at certain points, and this even resulted in a trip to the emergency room. This was undoubtedly an eye-opening alert from my body, forcing me to improve. Overall, I am grateful for the life lessons and memories I gained from 2025, as it helped me build a feasible yet necessary goals list for 2026.
The list was written on my notes app and was divided into three main categories: academic, wellness, and character. The goals themselves were supposed to not be too specific and less numerical to avoid obsessing over them. Examples of goals I wrote included spending less time on social media, continuing to take more risks and aiming for a decent GPA every semester. Based on my life experiences from the previous years, I know very well that I am capable of hitting these targets, but it still requires some effort from my end to promote self-growth.
Any progress is better than no progress, which is a motto I hope to live by as I approach this year and future years. I encourage others who may have failed New Year’s resolutions from the past to put more energy into reflecting on their personal journey annually and thinking about ways they can even slightly improve. Taking it one day at a time and celebrating small successes along the way is the key to staying consistently fulfilled and appreciating the concept of life much more.