New Year, New......?

I am not a fan of things that sound super fake or phony.

For example, the phrase “new year, new me.”

This phrase has always struck a nerve in me. It feels super trendy, and lacking in serious authenticity. I have never thought to stop and ask others what were they seeking to do. All I could see was mainstream culture making a target for me to shoot down. People jump on this bandwagon every year and sadly, most seem to fall off. This is perhaps the reason I get so annoyed at this idea.

Then I have to stop and think. I don’t know the stories of these people. I have no idea what is going on inside the recesses of their mental state. It may be the biggest fight they’re facing just to start something new, and I’m over here wanting to sabotage that fight and help ensure they fail because I seek to invalidate what I perceive to be a trendy fad that has no depth to it at all.

Then I think of the fact that I do indeed participate in this process. Every year during Lent, I seek to either give up something that inhibits my relationship with the Divine, or develop a new spiritual practice to further enhance it. Essentially, I’m doing the “new Lent, new me” fad, right? Sometimes I forget what a hypocritical asshole I can be, and how self-righteous I get. So instead of being a super judgy guy because of what I perceive, perhaps there is a better way for me to approach this.

As someone who has a strong desire to help others, one of my biggest struggling points is self-care. This is something my therapist and I work on a lot and talk through on a regular basis. So, what if I decide to make this a year of self-care for myself? What if I choose to do the “new year, new me” as well in hopes of finding a better footing in life as I journey onward? Is it trendy? Maybe? Should I care? Absolutely not. Besides, there is no need to really care what others think, as I am seeking to better myself so I can better serve others. I just hope to God others felt that way about me when I decided to be an asshole and not a force of encouragement.

So this year, I hope to not only do better at self-care but also to seek and understand the stories of others. I hope that when someone says “I’m working on a new me” I choose to offer a way to help them on their journey (if possible). We’re all in this together and the journey can be one of learning through connection and love, or loneliness by bitterness and toxicity.

Here’s to all of us on our journey through this new year of 2023. May we all strive to seek a better new self in the new year!

New Year, New Us!!