Scrap the “New Year, New Me” BS
Ah, January. That time of year when the world collectively decides to “be better.” Gym memberships spike, green juices, and yoga are all the rage, and everyone swears that THIS is the year they finally get their life together...and it’s all wrapped up in that tired mantra: New Year, New Me.
Let’s be real, it’s total nonsense.
Sure, the idea of a fresh start is appealing, and for a handful of individuals, it really works, but here’s how it really plays out. The first few weeks of the year, people are buzzing with excitement. They’re trying new things, setting lofty goals, and riding high on a wave of adrenaline and motivation.
A week later? The gyms are empty, the juice cleanses are replaced with milkshakes, and the whole “new me” thing crumbles. Research shows 23% of people quit their resolutions by the first week, and 43% by the end of January. Why? Because it’s not about real change, it’s just an emotional high tied to an arbitrary date.
Making January 1st a big deal is like a boyfriend going overboard for Valentine’s Day. Cute, but the real romance? That’s the random flowers on a Tuesday.
The problem isn’t the idea of self-improvement, it’s the way we approach it. The whole “New Year, New Me” schtick is just a crutch.There’s nothing magical about New Year’s Day. The streets stay the same and the rules of life don’t change.
Historically, the idea of tying self-improvement to a date has been around for centuries. Roman Stoics encouraged reflection, and by the 1860s, the concept of pegging goals to a calendar date was already well-entrenched, as seen in Mark Twain’s letters (he was probably rolling his eyes back then, too).
And yet, we fool ourselves into thinking a date will change everything.
Psychologists call it the fresh-start effect, the idea that temporal landmarks help us feel like we’ve turned a page. But the truth is, the page doesn’t turn unless you make it happen (literally and metaphorically). And those bumps along the way? They’re not signs to quit, they’re just lessons in persistence as Carlbring says… he’s a psychologist.
So, to hell with “New Year, New Me.” If something matters to you, don’t wait for January 1, or any date, for that matter. Start on a random Tuesday, on your lunch break, or right now. Real change doesn’t come from a resolution; it comes when you do the work, when it’s hard, boring, or inconvenient, and especially when no one’s watching.
Real change doesn’t need a New Year. It just needs you.
If the “New Year, New Me” resolutions work for you, congrats and carry on, We’re just saying that if you’ve tried and failed, year after year, maybe it’s time to take a different approach and see how it plays out, you might even surprise yourself.
Love you long time,
HK Marketing & Communications Executive, Victoria Crowther
https://fisher.osu.edu/blogs/leadreadtoday/why-most-new-years-resolutions-fail