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New Year, New Who?

By Micah Emem Essien

03 January 2021   |   8:00 am

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May all your troubles last as long as your New Year’s Resolutions! Every December, as is a ritual to the human subconscious, many people begin to get motivational. For some, it is a declaration of hope, for many, it is simply seen as a start of nothingness, yet again. Come January 1st, the world of…

New Year, New Who?

May all your troubles last as long as your New Year’s Resolutions!

Every December, as is a ritual to the human subconscious, many people begin to get motivational. For some, it is a declaration of hope, for many, it is simply seen as a start of nothingness, yet again. Come January 1st, the world of agog and buzzing with the oh so familiar “New Year New Me” bandwagon.

We create resolutions to be better friends, eat healthier, more appreciative, work harder at achieving one’s goals. Understandably, people take out the time to reflect on their past selves in the new year, they see all they did not achieve and the mess they made and they want to be better.

However, they sometimes end up having very unrealistic goals and putting very little to no effort at attempting to achieve those goals, which leads them to a more desired unending circle of resolutions without resolves.

But, it should be a little different this time, as we all saw what 2020 brought and we know that one way or another, everyone was affected.

So, 2021 can be a good year for you, if you are approaching it with the right mindset and tools.

Stop Making Unrealistic Resolutions
As a matter of fact, if you have a track record of not meeting any, it is a sign that you actually do need to stop bidding yourself with any resolution of any kind. Do not feel the need to do anything.
You can take a breather, and come 2021, you should resolve to come up for air every once in a while. Do more of setting achievable goals. Start small. Conquer those and then you will be well enough to take on the bigger task. Rather than say you want to work out more, you should begin by resolving to cutting back on late-night eating and reducing your portions. Instead of saying you want to be a better friend, be more intentional and aware of the needs of every individual in your life, know who needs to have a second or a minute of your time and those that do not, and manage your approach to the ones that matter that way. Rather than saying you want to quit shopping and spending, you need to come up with a budget and plan appropriately how you would like your finance managed. Replace the unrealistic with the achievable realistic.

Be More Open About It
To be better versions of ourselves, you need to know how to open up. Talk to people around you. Or better yet, talk to yourself. Be your own critic, take a hard look at yourself and find out if you love what you see.
Many people carry burdens from many years into new years and just keep compounding them with new problems or just simply sweeping them under the rug. Identify these issues, be curious about them, and find out how to sort through them. Do not let a new beginning be un-achievable simply because you do not have the right tools in place.

Find Stability
We can only be better for the people around us if we are better for ourselves. Find a stable foothold. Mental health is something that should be taken seriously, and anyone who makes goals and does not keep to them most times is fatigued in more ways than none. Find a therapist, get in a support group, find a reliable balance. Find something or someone that will help guide and keep you in check. Contrary to popular belief, we all need someone to help us on our journey to self. A “new year new me” is achievable, if done right.

Take Your Time
You don’t rush perfection. Do not make hasty decisions, don’t think you do not have time. What you do not have is time to waste. You just have to pledge to be intentional about what you want and work towards being so. A new you does await, and at the right time, it will bloom.