New Year, Same Me

The year 2020 is almost officially over, and with a New Year comes new possibilities. The possibility to receive a vaccine, see an end to COVID-19, travel, and live life as we normally would have - without restrictions and quarantine. I’ve learned a lot about myself this year. I’ve understood the value of my family relationships and friendships. However, January 1st always brings with it resolutions on how you can improve and develop in the New Year. What if you want to be the same version of yourself as last year?

Change is really important, as is setting goals for yourself for the future. A new year brings new possibilities and a chance to live a better life than you lived in the previous year. But 2020 was exceptional. A global pandemic, a nail-biting election, economic crisis, and protests for racial justice have created an eventful year. With many of these issues continuing into 2021, how we live this year will continue into the future.

While I have goals that I want to accomplish, at the same time, I feel overwhelmed by the fact that there is so much happening in the world right now. My mental capacity is occupied just keeping up with all the changes in the world. I barely have time to think about my resolutions for the New Year.

Maybe our only resolution should be to continue to manage as successfully as we can this unprecedented time, without thinking about how to become better. That means eating, drinking, doing whatever makes you happy regardless of the outcome. It means not stressing about hitting the gym or being productive. It means just living and taking care of yourself during this time. It means understanding that being the same as I was in 2020 is okay. Even more than that, I want to be the same me that I was during 2020, because it will help me cope with everything that is coming in 2021. So, this New Year’s, take time to reflect on this past year and how to not change for the better in 2021, but on loving and accepting who we are.

Happy New Year from The Desi Condition Team!

by Kartik Ramkumar