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Opinion — January should be about happiness as much as health
A new year brings new goals. But these restrictive and often daunting wellness trends can do more harm than good.
Ah, January — the month when the air is filled with a sense of renewal, and social media is flooded with images of kale smoothies, gym selfies, and the ever-elusive promise of a ‘new you.’
If you’re already crumbling under the weight of this vignette, you’re not alone. From diet advice, to gruelling workout routines and wellness tips, becoming a ‘new you’ in January seems like an inescapable curse.
It’s understandable that the beginning of a new year inspires us to let go of habits that weren’t serving us in 2023. In fact, it can be comforting — even enjoyable — to us the promise of 12 new months as a chance to reinvent ourselves.
In recent years, however, the January wellness craze has somewhat spun out of control. And the pressure to realise (often unrealistic) personal goals can start to impact our mental health.
