Welcome to the sixteenth blog post in the series “Monthly Mindset Shift”! As the name indicates, this series has one new post per month and will continue for the next several months. Each post in the series details a positive mindset shift we can make surrounding a feeling or experience that generally has a negative connotation. (Spoiler alert: For this post, that experience is pressure around a new year!) These shifts aren’t designed to erase all of our difficult/unwanted emotions around the topic at hand. Rather, they simply serve to improve our general outlook on the matter, which can, in turn, improve our actions and our outcomes. They’re all the more proof that a healthier, more constructive mindset can change the game!
Happy last blog post of 2025, and happy *almost* New Year! As the clock ticks to end one year and begin another, you might be feeling that sense of urgency to squeeze in last minute progress on your goals or last minute core memories. Simultaneously, you might be scrambling to answer the question, “how am I going to make this coming year better than the last?” Or better yet, the question, “how am I going to become a better ‘me’ this coming year than I was the last?” New Year’s season is a time that cues a lot of reflection, reevaluation, and planning. While all of this can be valuable, it’s okay if it feels overwhelming right now.
Three past blog posts that I’d recommend you check out before reading this (if you haven’t already) are the following…
How to Set Yourself Up for Success in the New Year– This post from last New Year’s season lays out some tangible tips for the lead-up to a new year, which should help you feel more organized, more in-control, and less overwhelmed. Points #2 and #5 are especially relevant here.
5 Tips for a Revamp– Point #1 is especially relevant here, as it’s a reminder that life changes should be sparked by more than just external factors such as timing.
Monthly Mindset Shift: How to Ease the Pressure Around Time– The feeling of “running out of time” can be especially present at the end of a year. This post should help you feel less anxious about your timeline.
To synthesize the relevant messages/themes of those posts, the New Year’s season tends to carry an energy of pressure. While it’s amazing to feel inspired by a fresh start, if you feel more obligation than inspiration, that’s when it becomes time for a mindset shift…
The mindset shift…
A new year doesn’t have to be representative of anything other than a change in the calendar, if that’s all you want it to be. If this time of year happens to coincide with your desire for a life change or self-improvement, great! You’ve been given a great prompt to make it happen. But if all it does is make you feel behind or inadequate, remind yourself that that feeling is all mental.
I would venture to guess that the average person who creates New Year’s resolutions doesn’t think much about them beyond March. If they do, they probably stop thinking of them as “resolutions” and start simply thinking of them as goals! When your resolutions actually go the distance, that’s a good indicator that they have deeper origins than New Year spirit.
Something else to consider…
Another form of pressure you may feel at this time stems from wanting to make this coming year “your year”. Say that the past year hasn’t treated you well, or you just haven’t accomplished as much as you hoped you would. It’s completely valid to want the coming year to be better for you. While certain years of your life may be undeniably better than others, though, every year is part of your story. Even your struggle years give you something pleasant to look back on or valuable to take away.
What if each year isn’t just either “your year” or “not your year”? What if each year is “your year of *insert theme here*”? Some examples of ways to fill in that blank can include but aren’t limited to:
•Personal growth
•Social prosperity
•Prioritizing mental health
•Invaluable life lessons
•Financial abundance
•Career advancement
•Romance
•Gaining comfortability in dating (or any other area)
•Physical fitness
•Introspection / self-discovery
•Slowing down
•Taking risks / trying new things
•New connections
•Becoming stronger
The list goes on! Any of the above examples could be hiding behind a year that you deemed “not your year” because certain other things felt to be lacking. That’s not to discredit your feelings about the year, as again, they’re completely valid. After all, some years will go down in your life’s history books as years you’d never want to relive, and there’s nothing wrong with that! I just offer this shift in perspective to help you recognize the value in all seasons of your life, as each one is meaningful (even if quietly) in its own ways.
The bottom line…
To wrap it up, try letting yourself get excited by the idea of a blank slate. This year can be your year of whatever you decide for it to be! This isn’t something to be intimidated by but rather empowered by. You can steer the ship of this year in any direction you choose. At the same time, don’t worry if the hype around the new year falls short. After all, it’s just a calendar change!