Columnists / Kate Willacy
Resolve to relax as your 2016 resolution
With so many of us under pressure throughout the year, and with social media enabling us to feel bad about what we aren’t achieving or wonder whether we are having enough fun, it is no wonder that we are now being encouraged to resolve to relax in 2016.
Some of my friends have intermittently taken to deleting Facebook. Particularly after a break-up, feeling inadequate in a career or just having the ‘fear’ when hung over, Facebook is not the right tonic, no matter how addictive it may be.
Like many of us, I mindlessly scroll through Facebook as though the people I’m reading about are celebrities on popular showbiz websites. Although, what I think might be mindless activity I’m pretty sure subconsciously is making me feel a tad crap about what I haven’t done or got.
Going back to my hometown over Christmas reaffirmed that social media only tells half a story. Whilst sipping on a dodgy pint from my local boozer, I (innocently) asked an old friend whether marriage was on the cards for him – the photos of him and his beau on Facebook suggested it was and I know marriage is something he has always wanted. He replied solemnly with: “no, quite the opposite.” Oops!
In the age of social we have been encouraged not to be competitive but comparative. We are constantly comparing ourselves to others and beating ourselves up for what we perceive to be our inadequacies.
In 2016, I controversially refuse to make any New Year’s resolutions – not because I think I’m perfect (heck no!) but because I’m doing the best I can and I haven’t got the energy to get distracted with worrying about what I’m not doing.
Happy New Year – [insert generic, inspiring quote about the year as a whole here].
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