I’ve never bought into the whole new year’s resolution thing. New year, new me? What was wrong with the old me? I’m still me. Just because the calendar turned to 2023 does not mean I’ve suddenly changed who I am and my outlook on life. So why do we constantly pressure ourselves to do something “great”? What if our most significant accomplishment of 2022 was making it to 2023?
As someone who is childfree, there is often this invisible burden to do something fantastic nonstop because I don’t have the responsibility of caring for children. But I’ve realized over the years that this way of thinking was not good for my mental health. If I wasn’t always going on an amazing trip, or going out, am I just standing still? It would be easy for me to make a resolution to visit a few destinations on my travel bucket list this year, but what if that doesn’t happen? Am I a failure, then? Is my life meaningless? Of course not.
I, of course, have life goals for myself and general ideas of what I want to do this year, but I’m not giving myself a deadline. I have enough pressure in other areas of my life that I don’t need to be the source of my own stress. Also, one of the significant benefits of being someone without kids is that it’s easier for me to focus on myself. So that’s what I’m going to do in 2023 — focus on me. I’m not making some grand resolution to write a book (which has been a resolution of mine in past years) or join a gym so I can lose 80 pounds (which I need to). I’m simply going to focus on myself, be more mindful and healthier, and be more aware of the pressures I put on myself.
Kudos to those who find inspiration and determination by setting a new year’s resolution each January. If that’s you, please share your advice with me in the comments below. How do you set a new year’s resolution and stick with it? And if you don’t always stick with it — how do you preserve your mental health?
Here’s to a happy and healthy 2023.