Cheers to a Fresh Start: Embracing Progress Over Perfection in the New Year
Posted by Laura Filtnes, Upcoming Boys Town Press Author, School Counselor, and @PawsitiveSchoolCounselor on Facebook/Instagram on Jan 7th 2025
“I’ll start my diet on Monday. I’ll start my diet this summer. I’ll start my diet in 2025…” Sound familiar?
The start of a new year is always buzzing with excitement, full of promises of new beginnings. It's that time when we give ourselves permission to start fresh, set big goals, and dive into resolutions with a “clean slate.”
We tell ourselves this will finally be the year we check off all those things we’ve been putting off: reading that book, organizing the garage, clearing out the junk room (you know the one). We vow to do less—buy less, eat less, complain less.
Reframing and reflection - not just for kids.
But this year, I want to flip the script a bit. Instead of focusing on the things we want to do less of, let’s think about the things we want to do more of?
Instead of making promises about what we’ll do better, let’s ask ourselves:
- What went well this year? What moments made you feel good, that you'd love to see more of in 2025?
- Maybe you had a conversation that made you smile, a moment of connection with your students, or a breakthrough in your work that felt really rewarding. How can you bring more of that into the new year?
- Take a moment and reflect on what brought joy and growth in 2024. Was there something you truly enjoyed? Maybe a hobby, a habit, or even a small ritual that brought calm or happiness? Make space for more of that this year.
- Think about the people who made your year brighter. Who made you laugh when you needed it most? Call them up and let them know how much you appreciate them.
- What’s something new you’d like to try in 2025? Maybe a new teaching strategy, a creative project, or something that’s always intrigued you but felt a little too “out of your comfort zone.” Take the leap! Embrace the joy of learning, experimenting, and growing.
A slip-up is but a single moment
As someone who tends to overthink, I know it’s easy to feel like we’ve “slipped up” during the year. Maybe we ate something unhealthy, let emotions get the best of us, or didn’t meet some lofty expectations. But here's the thing: slips aren’t failures. They’re just part of the process.
Barbara Van Noppen, PhD, and Michele Pato, MD, from the International OCD Foundation, remind us that when we struggle—whether with OCD or just everyday challenges—we should avoid those "day-to-day comparisons" because they don’t tell the whole story. If you see a slip, try to see it for what it is: a single moment.
This advice has been a game-changer for me. Those moments where things don’t go as planned don’t discount or erase all the hard work I’ve done. They don’t mean we need to wait for Monday, summer, or even 2026 to start fresh. They’re just tiny blips—moments we can notice without judgment, acknowledge, and then move forward.
So, this year, let’s focus on doing more of what fills us up, makes us feel good, and helps us grow.
Here’s to a fresh start, a year full of new possibilities, and remembering: It’s all about progress, not perfection.