As the year wraps up, my social media feeds and podcast breaks are flooded with ads promoting products to help me transform myself in 2021. These ads push the idea of “self-improvement” and “fresh starts,” covering everything from weight loss and fitness to career boosts and daily motivation. Because, you know, it’s resolution season! But honestly, no thanks.
Sure, I’ve noticed a few extra pounds and my wardrobe has become a tight squeeze, but I refuse to pressure myself into a dramatic weight loss journey. My freelance gigs have slowed too, and I’m not about to dive into a full throttle “career revival” either. This year has been a rollercoaster, and I’ve put in a tremendous amount of effort just to stay afloat. I don’t plan on changing that.
Can we please tone down the “New Year, New You” rhetoric as we enter 2021? In fact, let’s toss it all in the trash along with the rest of 2020. I’m perfectly fine with my current state of “just getting by,” and I’m sure many feel the same.
2021 doesn’t need to be about drastic self-reinvention. It’s not the moment to pressure yourself into a rigorous workout routine or a strict diet or any of those other lofty commitments. We’ve navigated through a pandemic, civil unrest, and one of the most chaotic election cycles in recent history. Many of us have faced loss—whether of loved ones or jobs. Our children are grappling with distance learning, and we still wear masks in public. The ongoing trauma from societal issues is palpable. We’ve campaigned tirelessly for change and watched as our world shifted dramatically. We are exhausted, plain and simple. Now is not the time for a strict diet.
Let’s be real: even in a typical year, most people don’t stick to their New Year’s resolutions. By February, those once-enthusiastic individuals often find themselves in a spiral of disappointment. Can we just skip that this year?
That said, if you’re genuinely excited about starting a new exercise routine or organizing your space, go for it! Chase your dreams because you want to, not because society pressures you to conform to the “New Year, New You” mantra. There’s no obligation to make resolutions, especially this year.
2020 was a time of significant sacrifice: many of us stayed home to avoid spreading the virus, while some continued to work, donning masks for hours. We’ve faced mental health challenges alongside our kids, adapted to new ways of learning, and said goodbye to loved ones through screens. We’ve given up so much, and now is not the moment to demand more from ourselves.
I suggest we make 2021 a year focused on recovery and self-compassion. Instead of ringing in the New Year with impossible expectations, let’s welcome it with kindness—both to ourselves and to those who have shared this tumultuous journey with us. We don’t need to leap into the new year with grand ambitions. After all we’ve been through, it’s perfectly okay to enter 2021 in comfy slippers, with a few extra pounds, and a cozy mug of hot chocolate.
There will be time for goal-setting and achievements later. With vaccines on the horizon and a shift in leadership, we might finally be able to plan for the future with renewed hope.
So, for this coming New Year, let’s eliminate the pressure that often accompanies January 1st. Instead, let’s commit to taking a deep breath and embracing what is.
This article was originally published on Dec. 9, 2020.