New year, new you? ...not so much.
We are 5 days into 2016 and I've had enough, enough diet talk, enough promotion of guilt-based exercise, enough self-hatred. That's right, I'm saying big, life-changing resolutions can promote self-hatred.
Now don't get me wrong, I love goal setting. I think personal growth, improved health, optimized budgeting, less social media, daily flossing, and strengthened relationships are all great things to aspire to achieve. What I do not support is the idea that every year, on January 1st we have to some how recreate ourselves into an idealized "better" version for the year to come. Although the masquerade as healthy self-improvement, resolutions tend to carry the message that we aren't good enough. When the clock strikes 12:00am on January 1st, we swiftly skip over our success of the past year, only focusing on our pitfalls and what needs improvement.
Ultimately we're the same people we were on December 31st and every day before that. What is rarely acknowledged is the pressure to morph into better versions of ourselves in the new year can be damaging to self-image. Let's face it, we don't need any help dragging down our self-image, we already live in a culture that is riddled with comparison traps, glorifies business, and holds us all to un-natural beauty standards. Instead of taking one more shot of self-hatred on January 1st, I'd like to encourage all of you to set a supportive goal for yourself and chase it with a big glass of self-acceptance.
Figure out what your body needs today be it a walk, a salad, a hug from your daughter, a 20 minute nap, a bowl of ice cream, or perhaps a sweaty workout. Tomorrow, ask yourself the same questions - what do I need today? What is one thing I can add to my life today that will bring me joy? If we can honor our bodies and have patience with our own imperfections, 2016 will be filled with joy and love, no self-hatred required.