“New year, new me” is garbage
Every January, the "New Year, New Me" ads start hitting like a wave of spam in a terminal. The idea is always the same: on January 1st, you’re supposed to magically reset your character, max out your productivity, and delete every habit you didn’t like about yourself in December.
But honestly? If you’re living in Ohio or Massachusetts right now, you know that January is actually the worst time to try a total life overhaul. It’s gray, it’s freezing, and most of us are just trying to keep our basic needs bars out of the red.
Expecting yourself to undergo a massive transformation in the dead of winter isn't just hard—it’s usually a recipe for a mid-February crash.
You can't just delete your save file
The biggest problem with the "New Me" mindset is that it treats your past like a glitch that needs to be patched out. But you’re the same person you were two weeks ago. You have the same history, the same stressors, and the same brain.
Real growth isn't about becoming a different person; it’s about figuring out how to work with the person you already are. When we try to force a "total reset," we usually end up ignoring the very things—like burnout or anxiety—that made us want to change in the first place.
Winter is for maintenance
There's a biological reason you feel like hibernating right now. Between the 4:00 PM sunsets and the post-holiday slump, your energy bar is naturally lower.
Instead of a massive overhaul, I usually encourage my clients to think about small, sustainable maintenance.
What’s one tiny thing that makes your daily routine feel less heavy?
How can you protect your energy while we wait for the sun to come back?
What do you actually need to feel grounded right now?
Play the long game
Change that actually sticks is usually pretty boring. It doesn't happen because of a calendar flip; it happens through small, incremental shifts over time. It’s about building tools that work even on the days when you're tired and the "motivation" has completely worn off.
You don’t need a "New You." You just need a version of yourself that feels a little more manageable.
If you’re ready to ditch the pressure of New Year’s resolutions and actually work on some sustainable stuff, I’m here. I work with clients virtually across Ohio and Massachusetts, focusing on real-world mental health—not just the "hustle culture" version of it.
You can grab a spot for a free 15-minute phone consult here:
