"New Year, New You"...Bullshit!

With 2016 coming to a close, we are being BOMBARDED with “New Year, New You” posts virtually all over social media.  I wanted to open my heart to each of you ladies and let you know, you don’t need to create a new you in 2017.

The you that you’ve always been is more than enough.

Looking back on this last year, it was filled with ups and downs on my end (can you relate?).  I wasted far too much time in 2016 trying to create a “new me“, whether that was through dieting, business achievements, clothing purchases, random trials ;), and the list goes on, and on, and on.

And to be 100% honest, getting sucked down a social media rabbit hole of approval-seeking didn’t bring me the happiness I assumed it would in 2016.  This fruitless effort to create a “new me” was a down right waste of time.  It surely wasn’t worth all the anxiety it caused!

New Year’s Eve is an interesting holiday, some of us can’t wait to celebrate coming off a fabulous year and others want to forget the last 365 days even happened.  Most of us are somewhere in the middle.

But, something about ringing in the New Year gives us the message that we need to START OVER.  That we need to make all these drastic “resolutions” to dredge up a new sense of self.  Hence the reason the gym gets extra packed on 1/1.

Speaking from someone who has been there, self-acceptance is vastly more important than self-overhaul.  

You are who you are, and the sooner you can get in touch with the person inside, you’ll really see your life, and the way you experience it, start to change.

Does that mean once you accept yourself that you’ll never have a bad day again?  Absolutely not!  Life is all about struggle, dark and light, happy and sad.  And it’s okay to FEEL things … rather than running from them to create a “new you".

That’s also not to say self-improvement is pointless, but there’s surely no need to rip yourself apart and make a list of 20 resolutions to meet by mid-year.

So my advice to you this New Year is to toss the bullshit “New Year, New You” notion.  It’s mildly insulting if you ask me.

For 2017, make small changes towards self-acceptance instead.

Here are my top 5 self-care fav.’s:

1.)  TURN OFF NOTIFICATIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS

This was the GREATEST thing I did for myself in the last 6 months!  This does not mean you need to delete Instagram or Facebook (because, I mean, that would be just cruel) but it does allow you to be present in your life without compulsively checking your phone non-stop.  I noticed a huge difference when I turned notifications off, now I can hop on and off when I please.

Reality is, I haven’t missed anything by giving up notifications.  I actually feel like I gained my presence of mind back!  🙂

Oh, and my “overwhelmed” state has gradually decreased with it!

2.)  JOURNAL

Although I admittedly haven’t been so consistent with this, journaling is a huge help to get your thoughts out of your head and onto paper!  You can write some affirmations down or just reflect.  It’s so relieving once it’s all “out there”.

3.)  EXERCISE … BUT NOT FOR A PHYSICAL RESULT

This is my hands down FAVORITE concept! However I know for others it can be the hardest to grasp. Most people go through exercise “phases” with the sole goal of looking good. For me its been a shift to exercising for my mind.

It truly is the #1 stress reliever on the planet.  I recently read that if exercise could be compounded into a pill it would be a block-buster drug for anxiety, depression, and so many other ailments.  Even when you don’t want to, there is NO DOUBT you will feel a million times better after you get a sweat in.

And change things up.  Try group work outs, try yoga, try running … keep going until you find what works best for you.

4.)  REALIZE THAT INSTAGRAM IS NOT REAL LIFE

Yes, I know we all fundamentally know this, but sometimes it seems so real … which leads us to start the comparison game.  Which is a game that can’t be won.  EVER.

As a blogger, I curate my Instagram feed with pretty, carefully shot and edited images.  Yes, this takes a ton of time, professional photography classes, and a ton of planning ahead.  It’s all part of the business.

But, I also know that real life is not curated and never will be.  We can easily look at Instagram and compare our current life situation to those of others.  Remember, the grass isn’t always greener (cliches are cliches for a reason, right?).

Social media let’s us see the glory (99% of the time)  … but we don’t always know the story.  Remember that.

5.)  SAY NO TO PLANS

If you’re anything like me, you like to be SUPER BUSY 24/7 365.  Well, I can tell you that this caught up with me a couple months back.  This manic, always booked life-style led to burn out, exhaustion, anxiety, panic attacks, and just downright insane amounts of stress.

Since then, I’ve learned to say no to plans when need be and am finding that it’s okay to not have a fully booked calendar for an entire year in advance.  And so far, I’m good with that.

I now enjoy binge watching Gilmore Girls, getting up early Saturday mornings to have quite time before the kids get up, getting sleep, sight seeing on a random afternoon with my hubby & kids, playing the random board game with my hubby and trying to laugh a little more each and every day ;).

That being said, make 2017 more about your own self-care … because it’s not selfish.

It may be a New Year … but you’re still YOU.

… and I like you that way!

PS:  Be extra sweet & share around socially with anyone you think needs to hear this message + I can’t wait to hear from you in the comments below.