As the calendar is exhausted to its last leaf, and the clock ticks steadily closer to the next year, we ready ourselves for change — for a “New Year, New Me.” The influence of such a catchphrase has reached beyond hashtag marks on social media. For instance, it is found in personal journals, resolutely carved out of late-night epiphanies. As humans innately desire self-actualization, it is naturally comforting to imagine a better future and a past left behind. For many of us bracing for a new school year at Concord Academy, starting off strong is important, and so is sustaining momentum. However, I have found that, though seemingly harmless, “New Year, New Me” is an extreme and unfeasible slogan, and it can often bring more detrimental effects than actual performance.

Firstly, New Year's resolutions are a series of “overloaded goals." They are rooted in perfectionism, assuming that transformation is possible in a short period of time. This belief is untrue. In fact, the common idea that “it takes 21 days to form a habit” also contains degrees of falsehood. According to Scientific American, everyone has a unique habit-building timeline. Also, depending on the target activity, new habits can take from a few weeks to a handful of months to form. Therefore, the key to success is not a hasty claim made on New Year’s Eve — or, in our case, the night before school starts — but repetition and patience. This also leads to lowered expectations, a crucial yet often overlooked component of successful goal-reaching. Consciously moderating our expectations prevents frustrations or burnouts, self-made “obstacles” for maintaining constant effort. It also helps us realize the imperfect nature of big goals like “consistency” and “change” — exactly opposite of what New Year's resolutions do. Consistency, as the picture below shows, is flexible. This makes consistency much more approachable than people expect, therefore easier to keep up with.

Another problem with “New Year, New Me” is that it provides the wrong motivation. As a vital part of the “glow-up” culture, it embodies an extrinsic idea. “New Year, New Me” can even be a marketing tactic to pressure people into purchasing workout plans, health supplements, and more. Instead, self-reflect and seek what truly matters to you, whether it be self-improvement, maintaining relationships, or finding a passion. However, social media overloads us with too much information to process, and we naturally fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to others. This can disorient us, much like how New Year’s resolutions can deceive us into fixating on external factors. One way to combat these distractions, I discovered, is by keeping a journal. This method does not involve the painful obligation to make time for writing every day; the journal is there when you need it. For instance, I tend to turn to it when I am feeling clear about my goals, or, conversely, when I feel stressed and completely lost. Doing so—in your phone’s notes app or on paper — is a good way to ground yourself.

“New Year, New Me” is a problematic slogan because of how it influences our mindsets: it creates unrealistic expectations and misaligned values, both of which are mental blocks when working toward a goal. There are helpful alternatives, such as the theoretical work of expectation adjustment, as well as the more practical approach of journaling. So this year, forget about becoming a “New Me.” Focus on the real you — imperfect yet always evolving — and see where that takes you.

Research

First of all, new year resolutions comes from an innate desire of us.we naturally seek self-actualization.

There is no shame in wanting to have a fresh start, leave te past behind. It is a valid and promising motivation to make us look forward to the next year. “mentally and spiritually cleansing”

However, “new year new me” is a slogan that is extreme and unfeasible. Here’s 3 reasons why, and how to turn that “fresh start” motivation into something that will actually yield results

https://theeverygirl.com/why-new-year-new-me-is-toxic/

The problems:

https://newleaf.com.sg/why-new-year-new-me-fails-what-works/

Overloaded goals - “new year, new me” a phrase rooted in perfectionism

Jones-Schenk, J. (2022). The New 5-Second Rule. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 53(1), 8–9. https://doi.org/10.3928/00220124-20211210-04

Unrealistically setting the expectation that one would transform overnight - even the “21-days to form a habit” is a myth.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-long-does-it-really-take-to-form-a-habit/

Everyone has a unique habit- building timeline → depending on the activity also, couple of weeks to each months

The key = repetition, patience

It is important to debunk mistruths to lower expectations, avoid frustration

I have personal experience with perfectionism, esp when it comes to productivity.

Have grace with yourself: even missing a day or two is okay. As the picture shows, consistency is flexible and not as hard as it seems

Wrong motivation

Wanting to impress others - the hashtag “new year new me” all over the internet shows the extrinsic nature of this trend.

→ it is even said to be a marketing tactic, to pressure to “glow up” and purchase workout plans, health supplements…

https://theeverygirl.com/why-new-year-new-me-is-toxic/

Reflect with yourself, seek what is actually meaningful for you: self-improvement? Reaching a goal you have constantly thought about? Maintaining valuable relationships? Finding your interest?

Those goals do not even need to be spoken to be consistently pursued, because there is something stronger driving you than the surveilling gaze of others, whether it be your parents or peers

Dickson, J. M., Hart, A., Fox-Harding, C., & Huntley, C. D. (2023). Adaptive goal processes and underlying motives that sustain mental wellbeing and new year exercise resolutions. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20020901

Negative Framing

Such quick, thoughtless resolutions are avoidance-oriented goals

“I will stop eating junk food”

Unsurprisingly, they are less effective than approach-oriented goals

“I will eat more nourishing meals”

​​Brown, J. C. (2020). A large-scale experiment on New Year’s resolutions: Approach-oriented goals are more successful than avoidance-oriented goals. PLOS ONE, 15(12). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234097

It also overlooks your efforts, little or big, in the past year that are always worth celebrating. For example when you say “I will stop eating junk food”, you think of all the times you ordered junk food when you shouldnt have, yet ignore your efforts of being health-conscious and the times u made a salad for yourself, taking the first little steps towards a different life style.

Now done with the theoretical stuff, what’s some first real first steps you can take?

If not already, get into the habit of making charts or to-do lists.

Personally this helps me feel more organized, but also know that i am constantly improving

→ to take it even further: set priorities, balance energy

Atomic habits: your system > your goals. There are many systems out there, for time management and studying…

Journal to self-reflect

Does not have to be every day- once every week

Bottom line: stay realistic, patient!