Rethinking the Resolution

Jessica Pontis, LCSW

It’s that time of year again, the holidays have crept upon us, and somehow twelve months have flown by with the speed of both the hare and to tortoise simultaneously.  With the change in the new year comes the looming desire to change something about ourselves, the dreaded New Year’s resolution.  We put our hopes into this idea of “new year, new me” but I wonder what we are focusing on.  How many diets will be attempted, how many sacrifices will we make for our career, will this be the year where we try and find true love, or will we put that energy into creating a stronger and more compassionate relationship with ourselves?  

As we move into the new year, I would encourage all of us to reconsider and reframe the idea of the New Year’s resolution.  Maybe instead of creating goals over things that we dislike about ourselves, we could consider some ways in which we can work to heal ourselves.  Here are some ideas to get us started.

1. Heal our relationship with food. 

When I think of the New Year’s resolution the first thing that comes to mind is people wanting to start dieting or losing weight.  While health is an important thing to work towards, health is much less dependent on weight than we are conditioned to believe, and we can find what health looks like for us at any size.  Perhaps think about your relationship with food and your body, and how you might want to heal that in the coming year.  

2. Practice reflection and introspection. 

Think about making it a priority to spend some time with yourself each day in a moment of reflection.  An easy way I like to do this is by bookending my day with a reflective moment.  In the morning while I’m brushing my teeth and doing my morning routine, I check in with myself and my emotions, and while I’m getting ready for bed I think about my day, my reactions to things, the ways in which I spoke to myself.  I also consider what would like to do differently or ways in which I want to try and grow tomorrow.  

3. Exercise for fun.

Similar to our relationship with food, our relationship with exercise can also become complicated by the information we see in the world.  Many people use exercise to compensate or punish themselves for what they ate.  Consider ways in which you can make exercise a celebration of your body regardless of physical ability.  Our bodies are amazing and do so much for us, and we don’t need to spend our time punishing them for not being what we think they should be.  Move-in ways that feel fun, refreshing, and restorative for you. 

4. Challenge your relationship with your career.

The temptation to open that work laptop and sift through emails is stronger now than ever before, given the ease of access we have to our work life and the limited social interaction that we’ve had over the past two years.  Is work taking up more of your life than you want it to?  If the answer is yes, or even maybe, consider how you want to redefine your relationship with your job.  You deserve to live your life without the fear of work-limiting your ability to have control over your free time.  

5. Go to therapy.

I’m so grateful that the conversation around mental health support has become so much less stigmatized, and that more people are connecting with the support they feel they need.  While we have come a long way there is still work to do in this area, and there is no time like the present to dip your toes into the therapeutic pool.  If you’ve wondered whether or not therapy could be helpful for you, the team at Symmetry Counseling would love the opportunity to help you on your journey.  If you feel that you would like to connect with someone reach out to one of the licensed therapists with Symmetry Counseling.  You can reach out to us online at symmetrycounseling.com, or by calling us at (312) 578-9990 to set up an appointment.