Every time we inch closer to New Year’s Day, we start to hear the phrase “New Year, New You ” thrown around. The phrase is usually accompanied by a proclamation of going on a diet, or it includes a lengthy list of New Year’s resolutions that will likely be abandoned by February. On social media the phrase haunts our timelines and news feeds that are already inundated with images of healthy foods, sales for athletic wear, or Peloton ads.
We don’t think the phrase “New Year, New You” is a bad phrase, as it does present the idea of a fresh start, of being proactive and making changes for the better. But on January 1st, 2022 you didn’t wake up a completely different person. Is that taking the whole “new year, new you” slogan way too literal? Probably. On January 1st, 2022, I woke up as the same Stephanie that I was the day before.
We tend to get reflective on all areas of our life towards the end of the year. We start thinking of all the good things that happened over the last year, of the adventures and laughs had along the way. We think of how we’ve grown as a person both mentally and physically. It’s important to realize not just the things we accomplish physically throughout the year, like PRs at races or RXing a workout at CrossFit. It’s important to realize the growth we make mentally, like learning to set boundaries for yourself or learning to communicate better. I personally reflect on the things that didn’t go so well throughout the year, whether it was a DNF at my Ironman or the time I wasn’t the person I wanted to be and should have been more understanding and patient.
It’s all of this reflection that jumpstarts the brain into thinking about how we can be better moving forward. We like the idea of “New Year, Better You” because at the very core of your being you are still the same, but looking for ways to make that version of you better. If you didn’t start on January 1st, you didn’t miss the window to be a better version of yourself, a lifestyle change can happen the moment you decide you are ready to be better. Look for sustainable changes that will improve your life in all areas. Crash diets, fitness fads, endless binging of Netflix shows….none of these will make us a better version of ourselves.
It’s great to set goals, but I think it’s important to also make them attainable and sustainable. Instead of trying to be a new you, take action and make lifestyle changes for the person that you are, to be better, for your friends, family, and co-workers. You don’t have to wait until the new year to start making changes for the better. You don’t even have to wait until Monday to make changes! 2022 is the time for a better you. If you aren’t sure where to begin, Basic Fitness can help you out!
Stephanie Fontenot