New Year’s is always a magical time. For some reason, the week between Christmas and January 1 is the most suspenseful week of our lives. With the holiday seasons coming to a close, a gift of new life awaits on a stranger’s lips and in a city that never sleeps.
Yet once the streamers have been blown and the midnight kisses given, slowly but surely reality sets in. Life isn’t a fairytale, crushes don’t magically become your boyfriend and weight does not just disappear. It’s much more complicated, much more human than that. We make New Year’s resolutions promising ourselves (and at times, others) that this year will be different—we’ll be different.
Personally, I usually let go of my resolutions half way into January because I get overwhelmed and begin to doubt myself. Apparently, I’m not alone. Studies prove that by the end of January, one in three resolution-makers give up on what they set out to achieve. Ironically many of us want the same things—to lose weight, improve finances, exercise, find a new job, manage stress better etc, etc. All of those sound familiar to me, because I attempted to achieve them last year—and failed miserably. 2015 (really starting September 2014, but who’s keeping track) was one of the most emotionally draining years of my life. I cried at least twice a week, half of those times from feeling unworthy. I walked in a shadow of who I was, often retreating into isolation because the outside world seemed too hard at times. I spent hours wishing I could do certain parts of life over, if only I looked like this/ acted like her would I truly be the person I was meant to be. A state of anxiety took over, and I felt like very few could be trusted. Being away from school helped with my stress toward the end of 2015, but it still wasn’t until the last week of the year that I realized I needed to actively take care of myself. I had been settling for just being okay, for leveling out the lows. I promised myself that it would no longer be about keeping up with my peers, or trying to fill voids with things that didn’t matter—that I would immerse myself in happiness and love. I changed a couple of my resolutions in order to better reflect the woman I am going to become.
Working Out
- 2015 me: I will lose weight, I will get abs and a big butt, who needs candy anyway?!
- 2016: I will work out at least three times a week, follow the 80/20 rule and I will show appreciation for my body by meditating and practicing yoga. I will tune into the needs of my body, and if I need to sleep instead of going out, I will listen-- most of the time.
Money Management
- 2015: I’m never wasting my money on food again! I’m gonna save all of money from this point on!
- 2016: I’m admitting to myself I have little to no concept of money management, so I will seek out help. I will set up reasonable saving goals, and do my best to control my impulsive spending.
- 2015: I will date this year! No more of being single, Bae ( Odell Beckham look-a-like) is out there, studying for his LSATs! Time to see if he wants to study together…
- 2016: *eye rolls* I won’t spend this year trying to find someone. I will spend it loving myself, finding out what I like, and bettering the relationships/friendships I already have. Why rush?
So there are my resolutions, as cheesy as they may sound. After coming back from D.C. just a week ago, I feel motivated. I saw poverty and homelessness on a scale that was unknown to me, and I feel obligated to contribute to the solution. On a positive note, falling in love with a city and its people has a way of making the impossible feel possible. 2016 feels like a year of excitement, but only if we actively make it be. I’m projecting positive energies, in hopes that we all find what we're looking for this year. Here's to another chance--Bonne année!
