Reflections on how quickly New Year motivation fades and why we should always bounce back
Dear January Me,
It’s me — your December self. Remember me? The one who was full of energy, optimism, and wild dreams? The one who believed that once the clock struck midnight on January 1st, you would suddenly transform into the most disciplined, organized, and financially responsible version of yourself? Yes me, the same person who came up with all of those wild plans that I wanted us to accomplish in 2025.
I was so sure this year would be different. I made plans. I wrote down goals. I even watched three motivational videos on YouTube before the crossover service. And yet, here we are at the end of January, and I have questions.
Did we really keep all those New Year’s resolutions, or did they evaporate faster than morning dew? Have we started working towards all those ambitious plans, or are we still “waiting for the right time?” Because, my dear January Me, the way this month has gone, I suspect that the only thing we have truly committed to is eating more than necessary.
Let’s take a moment to review some of the things (dreams and lies) we told ourselves in December.
- Resolution: “I will go to the gym every morning.”
Reality: The only weight we’ve lifted this month is a full plate of food and an occasional fruit for fitfam purposes. Do you remember rushing to renew our gym subscription on the 31st of December? Since then, we have only been there three times. We even bought new workout clothes and trainers: they are sitting pretty in the wardrobe. Those three times we went to the gym? The first time we left after 30 minutes because our body was just aching. The other two times? We spent gisting with our bestie while we pretended to lift weights. Oh no! Are we going to be fat forever?
- Resolution: “I will save more money and stop spending anyhow.”
Reality: First of all, remember that we entered January with debt? Detty December didn’t pay for itself na! The first salary of the year has now entered our account, and we said, “Just small enjoyment won’t hurt.” By the time we finished small chops, shawarma, and paying for the asoebi for our aunty’s cousin’s sister’s friend, the account balance was looking at us like, “Oga, what happened to savings?” Remember we also had to settle debts from December plus the one we took at the beginning of January. Are you surprised that we borrowed to survive January? Again, don’t judge us, it is what it is.
- Resolution: “No more late-night eating.”
Reality: Let’s just say that if our fridge could react, it would enable auto-lock after 9pm because the number of times we have satisfied a midnight craving is alarming. Leftover party jollof rice, fruit cake, and ice cream from the family Christmas party, suya from our guy down the road with cold garri and sugar, and quick noodles and eggs. We shouldn’t blame ourselves, it’s those worms living rent-free in our stomach.
- Resolution: “I will read more books this year.”
Reality: We bought three books to launch the year: one self-help, one fiction, and the last on personal finance. We haven’t opened any of them. Actually, we opened the self-help one on New Year’s Eve and wrote our name on it but we haven’t touched it since then. Somehow, Netflix and Twitter have been more interesting. The only thing we have read consistently this month is WhatsApp broadcasts.
My dear January Me, is this how we planned it? Because right now, the only thing that seems to be changing is the date, not our habits. Now, I know what you’re about to say: “It’s not my fault! Nigeria happened!” And honestly, you may have a point. Life in Naija can be tough.
Traffic has been a major issue. The first few days were cool because there weren’t many vehicles on the road but after that, wahala! How can we go to the gym when we’ve been spending half our lives in Lagos traffic? By the time we get home, it’s either food or bed. Who has the energy to do sit-ups after surviving Third Mainland Bridge?
Work stress has contributed to it too. One would assume that work should gradually build up in January but the workload we have faced these last few weeks is different. December was all “end-of-year shutdown,” but now, HR is sending early morning emails and our boss is chasing us for deliverables. How are we supposed to thrive under these conditions?
Let’s be honest — December was sweet. Too sweet. We ate, partied, and flexed like Dangote’s child. The Detty December aftershock has been jarring — now January has come for revenge, and we are paying the price. Literally. Maybe, just maybe, we overestimated our ability to bounce back immediately. Meanwhile, you remember that January has the longest days of the year which has thankfully come to an end. It feels like we’ve lived through 65 days already, are we sure it’s still the same 31 days?
Okay, fine, we may have stumbled a bit but does that mean all hope is lost? Maybe not. We can still salvage this situation before February shows up to laugh at us. Maybe:
- Instead of going to the gym every day, how about aiming for three days a week? Baby steps.
- If we can’t save 20% of our salary, let’s at least stop ordering food every day and maybe start cooking.
- If we can’t read a book a week, how about just finishing one every month?
Maybe, just maybe, we can make small, achievable changes instead of trying to become a whole new person overnight. Honestly, no be who first start gym go slim pass, na who no give up.
A Final Pep Talk from December Me to February Me
Dear February Me,
Please, abeg, don’t let this year be like last year. We don’t need to be perfect, but at least, let’s try. Even if it’s just drinking more water and sleeping at a reasonable hour. If we can’t be rich yet, let’s at least not be broke by Valentine’s Day. And if all else fails… well, there’s always next January.
Sincerely,
Your December Self (who meant well but slightly overestimated your discipline)
Final Thoughts
This letter isn’t just for me — it’s for everyone who started January with high hopes and is now realizing that life is not as straightforward as New Year resolutions make it seem. But that’s okay. January is not the whole year. Even if we haven’t been as disciplined as we planned, there’s still time to change course. The goal isn’t perfection — it’s progress.
So, let’s take a deep breath, laugh at our struggles, and try again. Because, at the end of the day, as long as we’re moving forward (even if it’s slowly), we’re still making progress. Now, excuse me while I finally go to the gym or at least drive past it and wave. As always, this is the way I see things today.Photo credit