New Year, New Me: The Importance of Self Reflection and Revision

At the end of each year, we always come up with these new goals for ourselves; weight loss, new internship, better lifestyle habits. We tend to crave impossible goals that are not within our reach and then get mad when we cannot exceed them but is there anyone to blame but ourselves?

Instead of creating goals that include doing a 180-degree change of ourselves why don’t we create goals where we revise our current self, situation, circumstances, etc. Think to yourself: Did JK Rowling create Harry Potter in one go? Or did she continuously revise an idea that she had, receive feedback, learned from her mistakes and grow to have a greater outcome. Do you think singers and songwriters give up on hit songs if it doesn’t come out right the first time? Probably not, so why should we expect to suddenly change who we are as opposed to revising the already great work of art we see in front of us. Why give up on a plan to work on ourselves because it didn’t go well the first time? The start of a New Year brings about the urge to change everything about yourself, to reinvent who you are but you don’t need a blank slate.

     I began my own self-revision throughout the summer of 2018. I welcomed a new chapter in my life that included moving back in with my parents and finding work to support my own needs. I felt like the summer was my best chance to let the old me disappear; I was away from my friends from college and mainly focused on work, therefore, no one would have time to see me and I could focus on inventing a new me. I threw out all my clothes, repainted my room, and put into storage all the relics of my “past life”. There was a determination within me to make a change to become a new person and I was determined to make that happen. However, as the new me stepped into my life things just felt weird, sure I dressed better, looked better, and seemed more mature I couldn’t help but shake the feeling that this was not me. Bits and pieces of my old life kept knocking at the door and when I let it in it became painfully obvious there were things that I missed. I came home and felt like I was taking off a costume and I began to realize that this new me was not a new me after all.         

    It was then that I began to reflect, I looked at the person I became and the person I once was and realized I could have a little bit of both. A better you doesn’t have to mean a new you. Yes, I was starting a new phase in my life but it didn’t mean that I had to completely let go of the old one. Yes, I had some more adult responsibilities in life, some of which platform heels and 80% ripped jeans could not be a part of but it didn’t mean I had to get rid of frat parties, Thirsty Thursdays, and 4 am convos in the kitchen over boys with ice cream and wine. I made a list of all of the good qualities I enjoyed and the ones that didn’t need to grow up with me. I threw out the new me that was created this summer and while some of her clothes stayed. I made some major changes to myself and my lifestyle but they were based on the one I currently live and I can honestly say 9 months later that I am happy. It may not have been a New Year’s Resolution for myself but I managed to make some revisions to my wardrobe, academic life, and career field.