A Look Back at the Epic Failure of Your 2021 New Year's Resolutions
Much like the cliques of secondary school, the internet is home to an endless number of distinct pockets of community - each niche with its own lexicon, hashtag hierarchy and posting schedule. Interior Design Instagram, Fitness Instagram, Fashion Instagram, Food Instagram - the list goes on. Sometimes you go looking for them, searching for a hashtag you’d seen on TV, or printed in a magazine, to get the latest and most popular insights into whatever category of ‘inspo’ you’re looking for. But frequently, you’ll stumble into these online worlds by accident and, dragged in by one post on your explore page, somehow you’re fifteen accounts deep, saving posts about ornamental cushions for a house you don’t own yet. We’ve all been there.
Back in December 2020, I tripped and fell into Bullet Journal Instagram. As someone with a creative streak I don’t indulge in nearly often enough and a crippling need for order and organisation, I’d found the answer to a question I didn’t realise I was even looking to answer. I knew, then and there, that I needed to join the Bullet Journal revolution.
The Bullet Journal Method was created by Ryder Caroll as a visual, slow-lane, productivity tool for our modern, digital age. Part journal, part diary, it’s a catch all way of getting pretty much your entire life on paper. It has its own unique language, structured by bullets with a different meaning. A BuJo uses Rapid Logging to track your tasks, notes and events into an easily-digestible list that becomes your composite parts for daily, monthly and yearly logs. The method of bullet journaling is very minimalist, but the set-up of the journal itself is essentially yours to curate and really where their creativity gets involved. You won’t be surprised that Bullet Journaling has been co-opted by Gen Z influencers whose creations have built them a substantial following online by sharing their immaculately presented monthly spreads and daily to-do lists, putting the rest of us creative-rookies to shame. I was, without a doubt, influenced.
Flash forward, and I am sitting reflecting on which of my New Year’s Resolutions had been the biggest failure in 2021. Due to previous attempts at committing to New Year’s Resolutions, I had this year, however, rebranded my “resolutions” as “intentions” in the hope that the name change might be the answer to their longevity - not dissimilar to when a diet brand relaunches in the name of ‘wellness’ (I’m looking at you WW). Spoiler alert, you’re not fooling anyone, and neither was I with my thinly veiled attempt at hacking the system.
I had dedicated an entire page of my shiny new bullet journal to writing my “resolu-tentions” at the start of the year. So knowing that my dotted notebook would be the logical place to start to answer this question, I went looking… where had I put it?
Right there, I got the answer to my question.
Having a beautifully hand-written list of intentions for the year is all well and good but, not only can I not remember what they are, I don’t even know where the journal is that I wrote them in. Despite my best efforts at the start of the year, I had used my journal less and less as time went on and now find myself searching the house for where I unknowingly lay it to rest months ago.
When I was younger, I would naturally ask my parents for whatever the latest ‘thing’ was for the upcoming birthday or Christmas. My pleas would be met with the same response; that said ‘thing’ would just be a “five-minute wonder” before it was cast aside when the next ‘thing’ came along. Usually, they weren’t wrong and with hindsight, as someone in their late twenties, I am quite thankful for their parenting stance in this regard. As much as it pains me to admit it, Bullet Journaling was the epitome of the “five-minute wonder” my parents warned me about all those years ago.
I watched all of the YouTube videos, had an expertly curated Pinterest board for inspiration, and purchased all of the stationary that the online influencers recommended. I spent my Christmas break logging my year ahead, creating the ‘just right’ minimalist design, learning the language and, as far as I was concerned, had set myself up to tackle this year like an absolute boss.
To my credit, I lasted until April before it all started to go south. The month of May saw a number of pages left blank as I began to skip my evening gratitude journaling and gave myself a free pass to “do my Sunday reflective journaling exercise tomorrow instead” - and then forget.
Like falling out of any habit, it happened so gradually I didn’t even really notice until some time later and there we were, having not written a single entry for the past three months.
I don’t think anyone goes into a New Year with the intention of not sticking to their resolutions. If the statisticians are to be believed, something usually happens between January 1 and “Quitters Day” in the second week of January, which causes most resolution-setters to fall off the metaphorical wagon. I suppose I deserve a pat on the back for at least making it through January with a pencil case full of colour pens and a pocket full of Bullet Journal dreams.
I really thought that this year I would be the exception to the rule. I was going to be one of ‘those people’ for a change. The smug friend who actually sticks with their New Year’s Resolution, and I’d make it to December 31 with 365 days of diary entries, habit trackers, and gratitude logs securely under my belt. Instead, I’ve got a half-empty dotted notebook and the distinct impression that maybe Bullet Journaling isn’t for me after all.
I’m sitting looking at the diary that I’ve already purchased for next year, wondering how long this one will last. I’ve lowered my expectations, pretty much abandoned the bullet journal, its systems and need for constant care and attention, and bought myself the ready-meal of diaries; a pre-cooked, no preparation necessary, bring it home and re-heat, week-to-view. It does have an inspirational quote on the cover - just for good measure.
Written by Molly Williams
Hello! I’m Molly - or ‘Moll’ to most. I’m a 26-year old, originally from Devon, currently living in Bristol. I work full-time in social media marketing, but I am also a qualified personal trainer. It's this knowledge which I now use to inform my writing, where I try to share a slightly different, more positive, approach to fitness and wellbeing.
My Instagram is: @mynameismollyjoy
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