Every January, we’re handed the same crappy message in shiny wrapping: Fix yourself.
Work harder. Be better. Earn more. Eat less. Improve, upgrade, optimize.
Part of me has always resisted this idea, and recently through the inner child healing I’ve been playing with, I’ve begun to think the real issue is that we forgot what actually makes us happy.
The Lie Beneath Resolutions
Most resolutions are rooted in the belief that we are somehow broken. That we are not good enough. That we must earn joy. Earn love. Earn rest. Well FUCK that!
When I slow down and really listen, I hear something very different.
My inner child isn’t asking to be improved. She’s asking me to remember her light.
She doesn’t want an improved version of me. She wants ME. My presence. My attention. My reassurance that I love her no matter what. She wants to play with ME and bring more light into my life and the world.
I am Not a Problem to Solve
I am not a to-do project.
I am not a before-and-after shot.
I am not a list of habits waiting to be corrected.
I am already whole. And in my wholeness, I am perfect. I am fabulous. And I feel free to create a life that makes me happy.
The part of us that wants to make resolutions is often trying to protect us from being judged. She’s hoping that if you do things “right” this year, you’ll finally feel safe, worthy, or at peace.
But peace doesn’t come from pushing yourself harder. It comes from turning toward yourself with kindness, and unconditional love.
A New Question for the New Year
Instead of asking:
What should I fix about myself this year?
What if you asked:
What actually lights me up?
What feels nourishing, freeing, vibrant, and fun?
What did I love as a child that I abandoned to be “responsible”?
Your body already knows the answers.
Joy leaves clues.
Maybe it’s music, dance, or swimming. Or rest without justification. Or creativity with no outcome attached. Or laughter for no reason. Or finger painting just for fun. None of these need to be productive to be sacred!
This Year: Resolve to Choose Yourself
Not the version of you who’s trying to keep up. Not the version who thinks love is conditional. The you who is curious, joyful, and feels free to express their inner light.
What if this year doesn’t need your discipline? What if it needs devotion to what feels true, soothing, expansive, and in-the-flow?
This week, I’m making a quiet commitment to follow joy, honor my inner child, and remember – again – that nothing about me needs fixing.
And if you need permission to do the same…
This is it.
