New year, new me, right? All of us have the same idea for the next year; it’s just all so repetitive. Everyone wants their “new year, new me” to betray their last year’s self but, when was the last time you actually went through with your plan “weight loss” or “ becoming vegan.”

Along with all of the other procrastinators, you decide to “be more positive this year” or “get better grades.” You start insisting that you will start tomorrow, or maybe next week. Then “next week” becomes a month, and the month becomes 5 months. Eventually, you sing your jingle bells and count down for the next year. 

In fact, less than 25% of people actually stay committed to their new year’s resolutions after 30 days. To top it off, only 8% actually accomplished them. Personally, I’ve had a few new years resolutions, but I also had many, and I mean many, for 2017 and 2018. The distraction of tremendously entertaining apps, such as TikTok and Snapchat, does not help us through our process at all. With so many new shows coming out on Netflix, how can we begin to stay focused?

A lack of commitment in our daily lives has just engulfed us. We have gotten so used to not doing what we say we would “commit” to that out of impulse, we give up. We don’t push ourselves to be the best people we can be. We start things just to never finish them.

We fear judgment. Every time you set a new goal for yourself, there is always someone to make it seem like it can’t be done. Sometimes it could be your friends, and a lot of the time, it’s even your family members. Your family is so comfortable with giving their opinions that they don’t realize the impact it makes. I myself struggled to let my family know that sometimes what they say  does not help. It isn’t easy making changes in your life, and you need all the support you can get. If you feel like giving up just know there are others going through the same. Help yourself become who you want to be and not the you others who don’t believe in you want to see.

When you tell your mother that you’re turning vegetarian, don’t let her tell you that it isn’t going to happen. You start believing in the negativity and eventually, you just give up. You “know” that you’re not good enough.

Believe in yourself and block out all the negative energy.  Before I completely change something in my life, I try starting small, improving small things. Things like taking the bus in the morning and walking after school. Things take time to get used to, but you will get the hang of it. 

In 2018, I wanted to have clearer and healthier skin. Like everyone, I kept telling myself I would start using better products next week, but by the end of the year, my routine was the same. I realized something needed to change because I just kept pushing my plan back. So at the beginning of 2019, I started a new skincare routine and stuck to it.  I worked my plan in my daily life so everything I normally do was not disrupted. Morning and nights, I am now using the same routine in 2020 as if I did so my entire life.

That doesn’t mean there won’t be setbacks. Keeping up is hard, especially after a full day. Sometimes I completely forget that I have a nighttime routine and I wake up the next  morning breaking out. The frustration sometimes even pushes me into giving up on it all together. I even did up for a few days, my face was honestly so used to the products that I needed to start again. When making the plan for my resolution, I didn’t think it would be so difficult to keep up. I needed to continue the routine even if I could’ve dropped the entire idea.

When we can commit to a small change, that change eventually becomes the new normal.      

Don’t try to force anything, it will make things harder to follow through. Trust me, I’ve tried lots of other resolutions that I eventually gave up on.   

Live your life in a way that will improve your happiness, not frustrate your everyday life. Everyone has free time at some point if their day. Add on whatever new year’s resolution you have to the free time. 

Sometimes trying your new year’s resolution won’t even make you happy, or help you. Don’t just try it because it’s trendy or your friends are doing it. Don’t force things onto yourself. Only make the changes that will help you positively.

Also, not everything comes to us straightforwardly. Even though it may be a little frustrating, keep trying. As long as you know you will eventually achieve the state you’d like to be in, keep moving forward.

So, spread positivity, don’t procrastinate and just be the best you that you can be, because that is all that matters: is you. It’s the beginning of 2020, leave the procrastinating back in 2019 because you want the new you. Maybe we could prove to those boomers that our generation is full of diligent and determined people. Happy New Year!