New Year, New Me?

Tomorrow is January 1st, 2021. You have probably been asked what your new resolutions are for 2021. You sat down and tried to create new year’s resolutions. That is what we are supposed to do with the start of a new year. We set new resolutions. We set goals; we write down things that we would like to achieve in the new year.

Some set new year's resolutions because they achieve that motivates them to achieve their goals. They want this year to be different than the one before. They would like to see a good difference in their lives by the end of the year. They want to have achieved something by the end of the year. They want this year to be different.

But we're not all the same. Others, achieve their goals differently. Personally, I have actually never set any new year’s resolutions. The one time I did, I never went through with it. For some reason it has become a trend “New Year, New Me”. The way I see it It, It is amazing that you want to improve yourself and work on yourself. It is awesome that you are seeking to better yourself and set goals. Let me ask you a question. Why wait for the new year? Why wait for January 1st of whichever year to set your goals and decide that there's something you would like to achieve?

You do not need a new year to set your smart goals or to do this thing you have been wanting to do.

If you do not want to set a new year’s resolution that is okay. If your goal is to maintain what you have achieved previously that is extraordinary.

We feel pressured to always set goals for the new year. People come up to me and ask me in person or on social media “So what is your new year’s resolution?” This year I do not have any resolutions for 2021. I am still working on the ones I set in April 2020 (see? also was not a January 1st-resolution).

The reason I do not set new year’s resolutions is because I never follow through with them. I did it once, I started on January 1st then by the end of the month it was over. Mentally, I was not prepared to start working on that yet. I just felt pressured that I need to set something for new year’s because everyone does.

Working on you and improving you to become a better version of you, does necessarily need to be on January 1st. You can start the moment you decide you need to work on something. Start today. Do not wait for January 1st.

You want to start eating healthy, start today. Your goal is to lose an x number of pounds; set a plan on how you'll achieve that and start today. Your goal is to travel more, plan your next trip. You do not need to wait for January 1st.

You will see people posting about their achievements in 2020. You will see people posting about their new year’s resolutions for 2021.

You made it 2020. You survived a pandemic. You survived all the mental and physical struggles you have experienced in 2020. It is okay if you set resolutions in 2020 and did not completely achieve them. It is okay if you are using the same resolutions for 2020. It is okay if you want to maintain what have you achieved or continue working on a goal you have not achieved yet. As long as you have something you are working towards, you are doing great.

I hope 2021 treats you well. I hope 2021 brings you all joy and happiness. I wish you and your loved ones a happy extraordinary new year.

Sandra Sobhy

December 31, 2020

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