Art by Ally Armstrong
With the start of a new decade just around the corner, many people are embracing the spirit of self-growth and fresh starts. Being aware of one’s past and current aspirations can help one put their best foot forward in 2020 rather than starting anew. Everyone needs a fresh start to plow ahead to their desired future.
Psychologists have studied what’s known as The Fresh Start Effect. The Fresh Start Effect is the phenomenon in which people tend to tackle their goals during time landmarks such as a new year, decade or birthday as defined by the Wharton School’s Management of Science.
New Year’s Resolutions are one of the most common and helpful ways in which people decide on self improvement, despite not always being long-lasting. It is a chance to reflect and improve peoples’ futures both personally and as a community.
Instances of inequality, abuse or inadequacy can stimulate people to find a chance to refresh and try to pursue more positivity in their environments. Additionally, students at Pepperdine can look at their mistakes and stumbles from fall semester and find new and better ways to improve academically, spiritually and personally.
Furthermore, sometimes a fresh start begins to feel less fresh. People should picture the end goal and remind themselves of positive progress suggest another article from Wharton University of Pennsylvania. This could be as small as congratulating oneself on resisting a late-night food craving or picturing that A-plus on a midterm while studying.
Fresh starts are superb ways to begin and maintain self-growth. They are also a way to improve and foster intrinsic motivation which in turn allows for more long-lasting positive change as explained by Greg Chertok with the US News and World Report.
If anyone is looking for a time to change, grow or self motivate, a fresh start may be the best way to begin. On-campus students have an amazing chance to be enveloped by faith, virtues and academics, so any chance to improve and progress should be welcomed. Now is a better time than any to go to the gym, try out new study habits or just try to be more globally aware. This can be done through organizational upkeep by starting a weekly calendar or performing your goals with a partner to keep you motivated.
Deciding to change is the first step to a clean slate. So enter this brand new spring semester and try to envision improvement. Whether it is for a decade, year, month, week or even day, it’s never too late to embrace a better and newer self!
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Email Anitiz Muonagolu: aj.muonagolu@pepperdine.edu
