I’m someone who gets extremely overwhelmed when New Year’s rolls around. Lists of resolutions to fulfill in the new year implode in my brain, and the pressure to make the next year better than the last is almost suffocating. I have a constant obsession with trying to be perfect this time of year, every year. This ordeal began in my early teen years when the internet’s new favourite thing was toxic positivity — only showing the highlights of your life on social media — and I fell right into its trap.
Thankfully, over the years, I’ve learned and developed ways to prepare for a new year in a more kind, understanding, and realistic way. Although the nagging pressure is never completely gone, I’ve gotten much better at prioritizing my needs and well-being rather than forcing myself to the confinements of a supposed perfect life.
One of the things I’ve been doing since I was a child is journaling on New Year’s Eve. I write down every significant event that’s happened in the past year and pen down what I’ve learned, and how I generally felt throughout the year. It’s a simple way to recap the year, and it’s fun to look back on these journal entries years later, too. I also try to be honest whenever I journal my end-of-year recap. Even if the year didn’t pan out the way I expected it to and I don’t have great feelings toward it, I still take the time to reflect and write down my feelings.
Doing a deep cleaning of my surroundings and getting rid of things I don’t need is another way I love to prepare for the new year. Your physical surroundings have a huge impact on your mental state, and I find that I feel more relaxed and think more clearly whenever my surroundings are clean and neat. Getting rid of things that don’t serve me anymore is another excellent way to say goodbye to the old and welcome the new.
In recent years, I’ve also begun making a vision board; but I try to be careful whenever I do this. When I first began creating vision boards, I would feel upset if something on it didn’t come true, or I would feel a lot of pressure to try to complete everything on it. Last year, I kept my vision board very simple. I set intentions to what each photo represented and used it merely as a guide, rather than a rulebook. Vision boards are also a great opportunity to test out your creativity. I love to use Pinterest to find inspirational photos, and I enjoy making my vision boards as pretty as possible, to my liking.
New Year’s is, of course, a chance to have a blank slate and a fresh start. But remember, it’s just as important to take things slow and gently ease into the new year with self-compassion and irrevocable understanding.
I hope you have an amazing new year! Cheers to 2023!