So, here we are—one week into 2025. For some, the Christmas decorations are packed away, gym memberships have been activated (but not necessarily used), and resolutions are either thriving or quietly gathering dust under the sofa. But let’s address the elephant in the room: does the start of January really need to be the starting point for change?
⏳ Time is a Social Construct (Sort Of)
The idea that January 1st is the ultimate day for fresh starts is about as arbitrary as deciding Mondays are the best day for diets. Why wait for a specific date when any day can be Day One? A week into January might already feel like the momentum has passed, but here’s the truth—there’s nothing magical about the 1st of January.
Whether it’s 8th January, 17th March, or even 23rd September, you’re allowed to start (or restart) whenever it suits you. Change doesn’t require fireworks and countdowns; it just requires you to give it a go—preferably without waiting for a celestial alignment or Mercury to get out of retrograde.
📆 Resolutions Don’t Expire
For those who have already “broken” their resolutions—congratulations! You’ve proved you’re human. Missing one workout, giving in to a takeaway, or skipping a journaling session doesn’t mean the goal is a lost cause. Progress isn’t about perfection; it’s about persistence.
Resolutions can evolve. Maybe you’ve realised that hitting the gym five times a week was too ambitious, but twice a week is realistic. Or that meal-prepping every Sunday isn’t sustainable, but cutting out midweek takeaways is manageable. Adjustments don’t mean failure—they mean you’re figuring it out, like an adult who finally reads the IKEA instructions before assembling the bookshelf.
🎬 Start Where You Are
If you’re reading this and haven’t even thought about resolutions yet, no worries! The 1st of January is just a date on the calendar. If today feels like the right time to set a new goal, then today is the perfect day to start. And if it doesn’t? That’s fine too. There’s always tomorrow, next week, or whenever you feel ready—probably after you finish that last box of Christmas biscuits.
What matters isn’t the timing but the intention—and maybe a bit of follow-through.
🎊 Celebrate the Small Stuff
Whether you’re still going strong with your goals, tweaking them to be more realistic, or just getting around to making some, don’t forget to celebrate progress. Managed to drink more water this week? Great! Did a 10-minute walk instead of hitting snooze? Brilliant. Finally opened that book you said you’d read last year? Look at you go!
Big changes often start with small steps, and there’s no rulebook that says those steps have to begin in January.
⏭️ What’s Next?
So, as we settle into 2025, let’s ditch the pressure to have it all figured out by the first week of the year. Change doesn’t follow the calendar—it follows your mindset. Whenever you decide to take that first step (or restart for the fifth time), it still counts.
Here’s to making 2025 work for you—no deadlines required, and hopefully with fewer biscuits involved. 🥂
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
Anwesha RC 