New year, same old bullshit

The new year resolution/ new year new me hype has been around for many years now, and it only serves to be an even bigger failure every year. As can be expected of a phrase that has been manufactured to feed a commercial beast.

Without a doubt the minute the clock striked midnight, press releases for books, fitness dvds and diet pills will be hitting the email inboxes all over screaming “NEW YEAR NEW YOU IN 5 STEPS” etc. And it’s a perfect way to keep milking the cash cow completely dry.

The weakness of modern society is the lack of will.

There’s all the thought for change, in all aspects of the world, but no motivation, no drive. No real resilience. So it’s easy to sell a product under the guise of it being the perfect resolution to keep – because they know this time next year, they’ll be buying it again for another half assed attempt at changing themselves.

I’m exactly the same, all talk and no commitment.

Every year we convince ourselves that, actually, this year WILL be different, this year I’ll show them and stick it out. And we never do.

There are only ever a handful of people who manage to stick out their resolutions and, honestly, they are the people we should fear the most. Because how? How have they managed it?

It’s fascinating really that we have collectively decided that the start of a new year is the best place to start a new habit. It does make sense in many ways, but equally why isn’t it in spring when we have all the new lambs and everything is ‘reborn’?

It’s mostly an excuse. If you haven’t sorted your life out, it doesn’t matter, you’ll do it in the new year. Blame it on the current year, do nothing to change it for the next, blame it on the current year. It’s a massive cycle of rubbish and it’s time we cut it out.

It’s almost become a New Year tradition, much like letting the old year out the back door and letting the new one in  (does anyone else do that or is it just my family?) or having a kiss as it hits midnight or getting so drunk you can’t even remember what year it is any more.

All perfectly good traditions, all traditions that will live long and prosper, alongside the more modern, new year new me. 

Realistically, you’re not going to stick to your resolution and I’ll tell you why. Because present time you has decided this, and present time you has a history of not sticking to things. And that’s fine. New you will probably be boring anyway.

If you really want to make a change in your life, don’t stick a time label on it. Don’t force yourself to start because it’s January 1st. Equally don’t feel bad if you haven’t achieved a goal that year.

Change takes time, goals take time, everything takes time. So, take however long you need, no one’s judging, we’re all in pretty much the same boat.

If you want to do it, you will one day and that’s all that matters for now.

Find out why you don’t need to reinvent yourself every year here.

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