**Note: This was posted on my main blog on my work portfolio site. If you see this floating around the internet under another name, its probably my government name lol**
Happy 2k18 Y'all!
When a new year approaches there's that inherent sense of renewal. Throughout time, humans have designed many traditions and superstitions just for New Year's Day. It seems culturally unanimous that going into the new year should be a cathartic and reflective process, which should end in making better decisions for the year to come.
But there has been some criticism thrown at the phrase that has plagued social media since the dawn of it: "New year, new me!"
I'm sure we've noticed the trend on the internet: it seems to be more fun to make fun of a person who posts "New Year, New Me!", than to actually support what they're trying to do.
The cause of this is skepticism. The people of the internet normally see this status or tweet come from a person they believe will indeed, fail, to become "new" or different in any sense.
But isn't it shitty of us to make fun of a person for wanting to be better?
It is in the nature of the new year to want change. To renew something. To address an issue discovered in the year prior. Even if the most annoying, problematic, stubborn person decided to declare a renewal of themselves, our dismissal of their announcement is still counterproductive and belittling. Wouldn't you want THAT person of all people to crave a better life for themselves?
Instead of making fun or looking down on the "New Year, New Me" status, why don't you challenge that person to dive into the details? Ask them what they plan on changing, and how they plan to do it. Ask them if this is a resolution that they've struggled with, and what resources they may need to accomplish it.
You don't have to be the person with the answers or the resources, but showing this form of interest does two things:
1) Encourages the postmaker to fully express their resolutions and process
2)Gives you a better idea of what the postmaker means, giving you the opportunity to really see where their head is--something you assume and lose with immediate dismissal.
I want us as a people to be better to each other, and it starts with little things. The new year will always ignite a desire for something different. Rather than taking credibility away, we can try to provide a form of support.
What is your new year resolution? How do you want to better yourself? Big or small, you should never be ashamed to express your aspirations. We share this planet together, and every bit of love can go a long way as we try to coexist.