By McKenna Preadmore
February 14, 2025
Oh, here we go again. New Year’s — the time we celebrate getting through another 365 days, come up with our outrageously unrealistic resolutions and collectively agree that this year will be our year. This will be the year we finally give up drinking caffeine, stop doom-scrolling at 3 a.m. and somehow transform into the most organized, hydrated and physically fit versions of ourselves. But honestly, New Year’s resolutions are more of a cultural tradition than an actual tool for self-improvement.
You’re Setting Yourself Up for Failure
If you’re like most people, myself included, you probably haven’t stepped foot in a gym since the last time you made a resolution to go at least five times a week. Yet somehow, we convince ourselves that this January we’ll hit the gym every day, maybe even start the 75 hard. We can all TOTALLY go from couch potato to marathon runner in 30 days, fueled by nothing but raw determination and protein shakes…but in what world is that realistic?
In reality, most of the goals we set are so ambitious that they’re destined for failure. Somehow we get in our heads that we’ll wake up on January 1 with the energy, discipline and athletic ability we haven’t been able to muster for the past 364 days. Spoiler alert: we probably won’t.
“New Year, New Me”
January 1 rolls around and suddenly we’re preaching “New Year, New Me,” like everyone’s suddenly a new and improved version of themselves. We think a new year magically flips a switch in our brains — turning us into the productive, healthy and positive people we aspire to be, right? WRONG!
Listen up…the only thing changing overnight is the date on your phone screen. You weren’t able to drink enough water on December 31, why would you think it’d be any different only 24 hours later? And please, let’s not even bring up those yearly planners with motivational quotes and daily tasks like saying your affirmations. Those things are NEVER filled out for more than four consecutive days.
The Mid-Month Fizzle
Here comes the second week of January — the time when our motivation starts to fizzle out. If you’re not a “gym person,” then of course you hate going, and leaving your apartment is way less appealing due to the fact that it’s 20 degrees and snowing outside. The alarm you set for 6 a.m. is only disrupting the extra hour of sleep you are going to give yourself after pressing snooze a million times. Don’t even get me started on the self-help book you have sitting on your nightstand that you’ve only read 15 pages of so far. By now, our resolutions are fading fast in the rearview mirror.
By the middle of January, we’re all back to our usual selves, and that’s okay! No one wants to admit it, but sticking to New Year’s resolutions is actually kind of hard. It’s going to take a lot more than good intentions and a new year to change our life habits. Dramatic overnight transformations don’t exist. What counts are the small and consistent changes that build up over time. I read that it takes 21 days to start a habit, but 21 days into 2023 and there were only about 9% of people who stuck to their goals. Giving up after a week or two is the norm, especially when “there’s always next year.” Don’t think you’re alone in this!
Getting to the Helpful Part
If you’ve made it this far you’re probably thinking, “then what should I do, McKenna!?” And to that I’d say — instead of making a list of inconvenient and unattainable goals for the new year…how about we just don’t! Let’s refrain from entering 2025 with a bunch of unrealistic resolutions like running a marathon, deleting all social media or waking up at 5 a.m. every day. Why would you even want to do those things anyway?
Start small! Like, really small. “I will drink one glass of water today,” or “I will read for 10 minutes before bed.” Make resolutions that you actually might stick to. Or, you could just embrace the parts of you that don’t need fixing. Maybe you’re a night owl. Maybe you’re not a runner. And maybe, just maybe, that’s okay.
There’s nothing magical about January 1. You can decide to change your habits or better yourself on any day of the year. So consider skipping the whole ordeal instead of setting yourself up for disappointment with a mile long resolution list. Stick to what you know and try helping yourself in small ways. At the end of the day, the “New Year, New Me” hype is here one minute and gone the next, so embrace the “Same Me” because it’s here to stay!
McKenna Preadmore is a MSU senior studying Professional and Public Writing with plans of working in social media marketing. A book lover, energy drink enthusiast and chronic fangirl — you’ll likely find Kenna curled up on the couch with a book, Alani Nu in hand and Taylor Swift playing in the background.