Do it for You, Not for the New Year

At the start of every year, there is constant buzz about New Year’s resolutions. Everyone sets new goals and hopes for the upcoming months, motivated by the fresh start they see the new year to be. Especially this year, with the beginning of a new decade, there is even more pressure for people to stick to their resolutions and improve themselves in 2020.

Although there is no problem with creating goals for the new year, it is important to realize that establishing healthy habits or working to achieve a goal should not just happen because the calendar resets. If you are truly determined to accomplish a new goal, change your attitude or form a new habit, there is nothing stopping you from starting now. 

It can be easy to feel the need to go along with the idea of “new year, new me,” but this mindset can also create pressure that could ultimately result in goals not being met, Psychologist Amy Cuddy told Business Insider. It is so important to make changes solely for yourself, not because of a societal norm. So, here are some tips that will help you do it for YOU, not the new year. 

Forget New Year, New Me 

Let’s be honest, people don’t wake up on January 1 as a completely new person. Everyone deals with the same struggles and fears as they did the day before. Just because the numbers on the calendar change, doesn’t mean that you magically will. Accept that change won’t just come because of the date, and take the necessary time you need to work on yourself — allow it to be a gradual process. 

Evaluate Your Intentions 

At a time when everyone seems to be sharing their resolutions online and in person, it can be hard not to compare yourself to others and want to post about your own hopes for the year. Remind yourself to think critically about your resolutions. Do you only have them so you can talk or post about them, or do you have them for you? Bettering yourself should not be intertwined with proving something to others or wanting to portray something on social media. 

Get After it Now 

Procrastination is something that so many people struggle with, especially college students. It can be easy to say that you’ll work on something for the new year, or claim that you’ll start in a week, or in a month. If you want to get something done, start now! All goals and resolutions are different — some can be achieved fairly quickly and others may be ongoing or take the whole year. The sooner you start, the sooner you will become a better version of yourself.

Do it for YOU 

Making sure your resolutions are not wrapped up in other people’s opinions is essential, but it is even more important to truly do it for yourself. Is your resolution something that you genuinely want to change in your life? Will it allow you to be a happier and healthier person? Taking care of yourself and making improvements that will better your quality of life should be the motivation for working on your resolutions. A new year can be great for fresh starts, but choose to work on yourself for YOU.

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