“Buy this juice cleanse and in 2 days you’ll be renewed just in time for 2026!”, “Take these supplements and you’ll have superhuman brain power and everything in life will be fixed!” “You must go to the gym everyday or else-“… Okay, enough of that, please and thank you.
We are constantly marketed magic cures and solutions to our struggles and promised that these investments will bring us peace and harmony. However, if juicing celery everyday would fix my problems I don’t think I’d be writing this blog. I know personally I CRAVE perfection, I can’t rest until things feel “just right”. I’ll stay up trying to solve problems that simply will take time, but I think this is why it’s important to talk about this, new year brings so much pressure and I think it’s about time we as people take the foot of the pedal and just acknowledge that things might not be magically fixed, and that is actually okay.
I spoke about this with my therapist recently, about how we put so much pressure on ourselves to transform and become someone else whether that be diet changes, splurging on a gym membership, doing a 180 on our daily routines, screen time, water intake, the list goes on. But humans go through natural stages of development, our values and priorities change so regularly, that to stick to one plan and mindset can actually be a distraction from our needs.
Whilst me personally, I would like to give up Diet Coke, I know I don’t consume it within moderation and that is something i would like to change, but if im having a day where im struggling with meeting my needs, and I feel like it would keep me hydrated, I wont beat myself up over it. I would like to have a morning routine with less screen time, and I have been brainstorming different ways of going about that. I categorically cannot go a morning without listening to “mayday” by CMAT, god bless my Alexa, gratitude journalling, (courtesy of my therapist) and even being intentional about my plans like using my acupressure mat for grounding, drinking water rather than caffeine and trying to go out more. Us homosapiens need significantly more daylight than my fairy lights can provide unfortunately.
All of these things are small positive things I would like to implement in my life to better my holistic wellbeing, and it is absolutely okay to have these hopes, the issue stems when it becomes an expectation, if we expect these things of ourselves and for whatever reason we cannot do them, we often feel disappointed and shameful, and whilst I’m still trying to work on this myself since im blessed with an all or nothing mindset, I am truly trying to take the pressure off a little coming into this new year of love and light.
I find every new year I spend days and nights cleaning, and I cannot rest, which is partly what has led to me writing this, I could quite easily carry on scrubbing every surface right now but I also know that’s a guaranteed ticket to burnout, so here’s me taking some time to slow down, speak my mind and do something creative.
I have really struggled with the need for perfection recently, so im going to do my best to stay grounded, present and intentional. If I’m cleaning and organising, I am doing it with the intention of bettering my 2026 self and simplifying my hopes, like organising my meds for ease of access or keeping a water bottle next to my bed, it’s the little things.. you don’t have to strive for these colossal changes in life.
It is okay to feel however you feel and celebrate or not celebrate this new year, I personally will be in bed like normal that evening, granted i might have selenite in every corner of my room, and I might be stirring my Yorkshire tea with positive intentions, but it is not worth the mental torment and pressure of bulk buying fancy gym leggings, unless that’s your thing of course, you are perfect as you are.
Keep going, you got this.
Ellie xo