The Alternative New Year's 'Resolution' I'm Making for My Mental Health

In regard to New Year’s resolutions, I personally find them to be useless.

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There is nothing in my brain that will make me change my mind or habits once the calendar reads January 1, 2000-something. If it works for you, that’s awesome, but my brain just doesn’t work that way. I become too focused on the negatives in my life: lose weight, get a routine, make more money, get a car, don’t be so sad, don’t be angry, write more, be a better dog mom, etc. Just writing that, I already feel discouraged. Additionally, there is no clear path to achieve any of this. Some of these aren’t even totally under my control. It’s no wonder resolutions never worked for me.

That is why I am not doing a typical resolution this year.

I am doing my New Year’s reparation by focusing on what I need emotionally and physically. I am not going to try to change myself or my negative habits. Focusing on these negatives has never worked for me and I doubt it ever will. Instead, I am going to pay more attention to the positive things about myself and my life. I want to work on loving myself as is by making better choices that demonstrate self-love. I will put myself first as often as I can by dedicating specific times to read or write. I will spend more time at home relaxing, cuddling with my dog, and watching Netflix. It sounds so selfish, borderline impossible, but I am going to make reparations with myself. Yes, there are things I want to change, but I need to forgive myself first. How can you heal if you haven’t cleaned the wound? You risk an infection. That is why I am going to spend 2018 loving myself so loudly that I cannot hear anything else.

I hope you, too, can make your own reparations. Best of luck.

Photo by Joyce Huis on Unsplash