New Year. Same Me. And Why That’s Not a Problem.
Written by : Duncan Batty, Head of Development, EmPower Mental Fitness
Every January, I used to set resolutions with the enthusiasm of someone who genuinely believed this would be the year I became a completely different human.
A better human.
A fitter human.
A human who didn’t consider an entire block of cheese to be a single serving.
Like many people, my resolutions usually involved one of two things:
Depriving myself of something I enjoyed
Forcing myself to do something I absolutely didn’t
The logic went something like this:
I don’t like my weight → stop eating or drinking anything that brings me joy
I don’t like my fitness → start exercising like I’m auditioning for the next Olympics
By February, my “good intentions” had usually turned into something else entirely:
a neatly itemised list of all the ways I’d failed.
I’d reflect.
Feel bad about myself.
And quietly accept that I had 11 months to wait before trying again.
The problem with most resolutions
Here’s what I’ve learned — mostly the hard way:
A lot of New Year’s resolutions are just self-punishment with a brand refresh.
The principle itself isn’t wrong. Improving wellbeing does come from taking action.
But the execution matters.
If your plan for change starts with denial, force, or criticism, you’re starting from a place of deficit. And misery. Mostly misery.
What I was missing was this:
actions stick when they build self-belief and align with who you actually are.
That’s one of the biggest shifts EmPower introduced for me.
Doing more of what already works
Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with me that I need to fix?”
I started asking something different:
“What do I already enjoy — and how do I lean into that?”
That changed everything.
So now:
I love live sport → I see it in person and support non-mainstream sports that need fans
I love being outdoors with people I care about → that becomes my exercise
I love stories → I choose an audiobook over scrolling
I love laughing → I protect my sleep and my mood by choosing lighter entertainment
I love helping people thrive → I volunteer, mentor, and lift others up
No deprivation.
No forcing.
Just momentum.
Start from what’s strong, not what’s wrong
Instead of judgement, there’s curiosity.
Instead of pressure, there’s energy.
Instead of trying to become someone else, there’s growth into who you already are.
Because resolutions aren’t meant to be a test you pass or fail.
They’re meant to support a life that feels better to live.
A kinder way into the year
So as you step into the new year, here’s my invitation:
Choose resolutions that lift you, not ones that load you with pressure
Choose actions that energise you, not ones that drain you
Choose goals that enhance who you already are — not ones that try to replace you
And here’s the funny thing:
When you do that, you’ll probably end up doing less of the stuff you’re worried about — overeating, scrolling, sitting still — without even noticing.
A better year doesn’t start with becoming someone else.
It starts with becoming a stronger, happier version of you.
Have a Happy New Year !
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