The new year elicits a sense of fondness towards the previous sentiments of the year prior. One tends to reflect back on the behaviors and experiences of last year in order to build closer relationships with themselves and others. All of the reminiscence of the past begs the question of “how can I improve my being to be a more organic and defined representation of myself?” Comprehending the events of the past to better your future can be an intimidating process that renders confusion and a sense of vulnerability to a harsh reality that is inevitable to the expedition of self reflection. We conclude our year with resolutions that are goals created to accent the parts of our lives that we desire to adjust, but we do not consolidate what we have already attained. Resolutions condense our lives to the idea that you have either achieved and succeeded, or with a more painstaking reality, have failed.

There is no compromise or gray area between our accomplishments or failure when resolutions are put into action. Most people do not keep resolutions due to the fact that life is not black or white, right or wrong, or fact or fiction. Our lives are lived in technicolor, with variations of gradients that paint the canvas of our surroundings. We blend together our thoughts and aspirations with the same broad brush that mingles our individual being with the rest of society. One cannot simply separate a part of themselves in order to adhere to another factor in the world. Resolutions are promises made to ourselves to feel better about not obtaining our wishes. They serve as excuses for our incompetence and lack of self control. We do not ascertain the parts of ourselves that we are uncertain of, but instead conjure reasons why we have not reached our full potential. Our inner conflicts can only be pushed off for so long by futile, frivolous excuses until we finally lose our purpose and meaning in life. The veil that masks our fraudulent selves from the unadulterated versions of ourselves is translucent. It shows a distorted, illusory truth that once removed, crumbles like an unstable house of cards.

Life encapsulates us into a plethora of falsehoods that deter us from our originality and truth. Resolutions are one of the many fallacies that we build in life that serve little function. Instead of starting the new year committing to false promises, think about how the multi-dimensional life you live and all of the faces of yourself that are more prominently presented. Attempt to unveil an undiscovered face of yourself that has not been explored before you venture into the depths of trying to morph it into a generic, monotonous side of yourself. Selling a counterfeit part of yourselves to others in attempt to convince yourself that you do not display a certain characteristic is a waste of the person that reflects in the mirror everyday. This year, do not let your shadow define you. Let the intricate features of your complex personality surface in order to reveal a part of yourself that was once taken for granted.