A Promise To Do Something Different This Year

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By: Monica

New Year’s Resolution (noun)
: a promise to do something differently in the new year.

That’s what Merriam-Webster dictionary’s definition of New Year’s resolution is. Every new year we list a bunch of things that we want to do. Something like “lose weight”  “eat healthier”, “save money for vacation”, “go to the gym”, “do yoga”,  “try out a new hobby.” Other times we think of the things that we want to gain. Something like “land a job”, “purchase a new car”,  “get promoted”, “buy a new phone”. Think of it as reinventing ourselves into a better version. It’s often somewhere between the lines of building new habits and achieving new goals.

But have you ever thought of the things that you want to lose during the New Year?
(Well, besides the classic new year’s resolution of “lose weight”)
Have you ever considered what you shouldn’t bring on the New Year?
The things that you need to let go of.

And I’m not talking about physical things.
I’m not talking about the clothes that you need to declutter.
Nor the furniture that you need to sell to clear up some room in your apartment.

I’m talking about that one time when you did something wrong and you tell yourself “I always mess things up” and that scenario keeps replaying in your head. I’m talking about that friend that isn’t reciprocating the same love that you’re giving. I’m talking about how you say “I’m not good enough” regularly making you doubt yourself that you’re capable of achieving things. I’m talking about those “if only I did this”, “if only I did that” which ends up questioning your own decisions. I’m talking about those “what if” situations that spiral down into worst-case scenarios (which have a low chance of happening) and now you’re scared of taking action.

That negative self-talk.
Those beliefs that no longer align with you.
This bad image you imagined for yourself.
The relationships that drain out your energy.

If it doesn’t serve you, they don’t deserve you.
Let it go.

🌱

“A man asked a gardener why his plants grew so beautifully. The gardener said: “I don’t force them to grow. I remove what stops them.”

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As we enter the Year of the Horse—a symbol of energy, independence, and forward motion—may we welcome the spirit to move ahead with courage.

Letting go doesn’t have to feel like losing.
Ironically, it’s the other way around. When you let go of the old things, you create space for something new. When you remove the bad habits, the old routines, you invite better opportunities for growth.

Letting go should be gaining.
Gaining clarity. Gaining new beliefs. Gaining confidence. Gaining peace of mind. Gaining a new chance. Gaining growth.

Maybe our New Year’s resolution is not just about building new habits and achieving new goals.
Maybe our promise to do something differently this year is to let go.

Because letting go matters too. ✨

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