New Year, Better Me

You're most likely familiar with the phrase "New Year, New Me". It's commonly said around New Years because we look at is as a time of starting over and making changes. This phrase is a correlation with resolutions. In the same way we choose to change our habits, fix our lifestyles, or remove the bad parts of the past year, we see it as becoming a "new me".  

In all honesty, I'm not a fan of saying this phrase. There may be times when I say it casually as a joke, but if you think about it in a literal way, it doesn't sound as renewing. Yes, you may think of it as a chance to completely change your life and improve, but that's also the problem. The idea can't have a renewing effect if we use the new year to change everything about ourselves. Why do we have such an urge to completely change who we are? A new year is a great opportunity to improve ourselves, but not to erase who we've already become. Instead of trying to change how I live my life already, I'm choosing to better myself. There are changes I need to make, yet I want to take it slow. We get a second chance to retry each and every day; it doesn't have to restart at the beginning of the year. 

With that being said, how about we try to look at the new year as a chance to become a "better me". Let's choose to improve our lives in the way that's best for us, personally. As much as some people may want to, we can't take away the past, but what we can do is better the future. We can easily start by the popular tradition of making resolutions. It's a great way to set yourself up with rewarding goals, whether they be short-term or long-term. I don't typically make resolutions because I tend to fall through and stop before the year is over due to different reasons. What I'm choosing to do this year is make resolutions (more specifically, goals) at different times of the year. I'll set goals for myself as the days go by instead of all at once. This will help keep me more focused and more likely to accomplish my goals without feeling overwhelmed. A new goal every month or so will be good for me because it'll be a new thing to work toward. There's no reason we can't allow ourselves to set new resolutions/goals throughout the year. 

One of my goals right now is to go into this new year with a steady mindset. I want to take each moment day by day without rushing the year by. I want to remain focused on life and to take it slow because there is so much goodness the days have to offer if we choose to look for it. Confidence is something I'm striving for this year. I want to find confidence in who I am and who I want to be. It is what I'm looking to gain most out of this year because I have moments when it fails and I feel hopeless. With a confident attitude, I can show myself what greatness and successes I am capable of accomplishing. 

Lift yourself up this year. Make resolutions for your well-being. Choose not to look at the new year as a redo, but as a second chance. Make yourself and your lifestyle better in whichever way you believe is best. You know what you need, and striving to fulfill your personal goals without losing your current "me" is a great reminder that you can become a better you. 

Happy New Year! Cheers to 2020!