New Year's Eve. Very few words bring up the same amount of hope, anticipation, pressure and anxiety as those three words. But why?
The most important thing to remember when staring down the end of a new year and the kick-off to another is that time is a totally manmade thing. However years ago, if people had decided that there should be 50 days in a month and years didn't exist, there would be no New Year and the pressure of that date would not be here!
No New Year pressure means you are free from trying to come up with something fabulous to do on New Year's Eve. ...when we both know that you'll just end up getting drink somewhere whether you are home alone, with family, or out. It also means that you would not make grandiose promises to yourself about bettering your life in some way that we both know will be dead by mid-January, early-February if you're dedicated.
By the way, where did all of this build up for this event come from? Is it because it's an easy mark to use as a milestone for changing yourself or moving into new things? Is this another holiday / event that was built off of an already existing holiday / event? No matter where it came from, it is still a manmade thing and should be something to get worked up on or fret about.
Here is my advice for living without New Year's pressure:
1.) If you want to change / better your life, JUST DO IT!
2.) Do what you want to do on New Year's Eve and block out societal pressures. If you can't do the one thing you want to do, accept it, work towards that in the future, and find an option you can do for that night that is obtainable.
3.) Spend the evening and the rest of the year with people who make you happy and bring you up.
4.) Drink lots of champagne because it is amazing, you feel classy AF, and the French drink it like wine, so it's not unusual to pair it with food ;)
5.) Always work on being the best you you can be.
PS If you think 2017 is going to bring on less celebrity / musician / artist death and more happiness, don't hold your breath. People will die when it is their time. And Donald Trump will be taking office (though I'm still i deep denial that that is happening), which means we're in for a lot of strife. Buckle up. It's going to be a bumpy few years.