This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at TAMU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
On the first day of the spring semester, I went to the gym—and it was packed. Every machine was taken, and most of my time there turned into a waiting game. The first thought that came to my mind was New Year’s resolutions. Everyone had clocked in, thinking this year is going to be the year. The year we get in shape, the year we excel academically, the year we prioritize sleep, etc., the list goes on.
But for me, this year is the year I stop saying that.
I’ve noticed that motivation is always the loudest at the start of the year, but motivation DOES NOT equal consistency. Every New Year’s resolution I’ve made has followed the same pattern: motivation turns into pressure, pressure turns into failure, and failure turns into giving up and slipping back into old habits. I’m pretty confident that I’m not the only person who’s experienced this before.
These resolutions are often tied to an all-or-nothing mindset, where one missed task makes it feel like I’ve completely failed. The fear of failing again and the pressure that comes with it kept me going back to my old habits. This meant that next year came with a new set of resolutions waiting for me, which created an endless loop of “New Year’s resolutions.”
Last year, on a random Tuesday morning, I decided to be more consistent with the gym. It wasn’t a grand plan, but rather just a passing thought. And if I’m being honest, I fully expected myself to give up at some point. But without the pressure of “failing,” I showed up for myself consistently, even on days I didn’t “feel like it.” Although every gym session wasn’t perfect, over time, that consistency turned into a habit.
Growth doesn’t start because the date changes. It starts when you’re ready to show up consistently, even after it stops feeling exciting.
So instead of resolutions and big, overwhelming goals, I’m choosing awareness and small, sustainable goals. This year, I’ve acknowledged that there’s no need for a “perfect start,” because there is no perfect finish line when it comes to becoming the best version of myself. There will always be room to improve. But I want that improvement to happen over the years, not something I try to cram into one year.