New Year – New Me?

Let’s Be Honest – We’ve All Been There

Swearing that this year would be different. A fresh start. A big one. Making a list of all the goals we promised ourselves to achieve—ready to shock everyone with the results. And then… just as easily, forgetting all about them by the end of January.

So here we are in February. If you’ve already failed at Dry January, Veganuary, hitting 10K steps a day, or sticking to a daily workout routine—maybe that’s actually a good thing. Because who are we if not the sum of our failures and rises?

This year, above all, I think we should be kinder to ourselves. Maybe our goals should feel comforting, something that lifts us up rather than drags us down. What if we flipped the narrative? Instead of rigid resolutions, we set goals that genuinely excite us—like finding a hobby we truly enjoy and can easily stick to. Instead of restrictive diets, we focus on being gentle with our bodies. Perhaps the key is simply shifting our mindset from “I have to” to “I get to” or even “I’m happy to”. Feels better already, doesn’t it?

I, for one, am happy to start a new hobby this year—photography. It’s been a dream of mine since I was little, but somehow, I always found an excuse to stash it away in my mental ‘for later’ drawer. Does this mean I’ll be taking 100 pictures a day and carrying my camera everywhere? Maybe. Maybe not. I don’t need to prove anything to anyone. This is purely for my own joy and satisfaction.

Did I buy a camera and sign up for a photography course on January 1st? No. Because a specific date doesn’t define when we can start something new. It’s about the journey, not the timestamp.

Now, I know—photography sounds like fun, and only fun. But I also made another commitment: to take better care of my hair. (Oh dear, if only you knew how bad I am at sticking to beauty routines. When was the last time I remembered to take my supplements? No idea. The only thing I’m oddly consistent with is fake tan—because, trust me, I notice the ghostly pale phase creeping in.)

I also want to read more books and articles to share with you and be more consistent in keeping my body fit.

Now that I’ve said it, let me make one thing clear—my motivation is longevity. I want to keep my muscles strong so I can continue doing what I love for as long as possible. Luckily, I’ve found ways to make it enjoyable. There’s no chance I’d stay consistent with something I don’t like. And I truly believe everyone can find a way to enjoy movement—if they don’t, they’re probably approaching it the wrong way.

Take the gym, for example. I never enjoyed it as much because I didn’t have a gym buddy. I felt bored, uncomfortable, and awkward without a wing girl for support. So, I tried something different—group kickboxing. Eventually, that wasn’t enough for me, so I transitioned to one-on-one classes. And now? I’ve been doing it for two years. That’s consistency.

Find something you enjoy, or figure out why you’re struggling to enjoy it. That’s the key.

Setting goals is important for a fulfilling life. But where’s the fine line between achieving and failing?

Here’s an exercise I came across on TikTok that I’m currently doing—and I highly recommend you try it too:

Write down 300 things you want to achieve, get, or own.

Sounds overwhelming, right? But that’s the point. It forces you to really dig deep and discover what excites you—what you admire, desire, and dream about. From simple things like a new pair of sunglasses to something bold, like a house with a pool in Mallorca. Let your imagination run wild and see what part of yourself you uncover.

Let me know how it goes. And good luck!

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The Snob