Debunking "New Year, New You:” A Compassionate Approach
Every January, we’re met with the same well-meaning message: “New Year, New You.” It’s meant to inspire a fresh start, but for many, it can feel like pressure to completely reinvent ourselves - often in ways that aren’t realistic or necessary. In my work, I see how this messaging can quietly chip away at self-acceptance and create cycles of blame and/or shame when life doesn’t match the promise of a “new you.” That’s why I’m taking a closer look at this popular phrase - to explore where it falls short, and how we can instead approach the New Year with more compassion, curiosity, and care for ourselves.
“New Year, New You!” - We hear it every January, plastered across social media, diet ads, and wellness campaigns. I have never personally subscribed to this idea, but I understand its popularity.
Setting intentions can be powerful and should be embraced. But…“New Year, New You” oftentimes and inherently:
Implies there’s something wrong with you that needs to be “fixed”. Not only does this concept miss all the good things about you that you’re already doing, but it capitalizes on the fact that we’re usually our harshest critics - which feels really exploitative to me.
Promotes sudden changes in a short period, which is not realistic to how long-term health and simply living as a human being work. Is this a change you want to make right now because of something you want/need, or is a marketer/influencer telling you you need to do this now?
Changes inspired by innate need or authentic inspiration tend to be the ones that have more staying power and overall genuine impact. This is because organic motivation tends to last longer than forced motivation.
January can be a great time to tap into that organic motivation; I’m certainly not trying to dissuade you from turning over a new leaf. If you’ve just started something that feels nourishing to you because it feels like a natural reset, amazing!
But remember, you don’t have to. If you’re not feeling inspired, or it’s not coming naturally to you, or somebody else told you you should, you don’t have to listen to that.
You’re in the driver’s seat of changes or life shifts…you do you, whenever feels best to you!