Rebooting New Beginnings

Merve Yılmaz
3 min readJan 14, 2023

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14 Days In: Still Struggling to Start the New Year

Photo by Tangerine Newt on Unsplash

As the New Year begins, I find myself reflecting on the goals and resolutions I set for myself. I have struggled to make progress on the things that matter most to me. I’ve been wanting to achieve a certain physique, improve myself professionally, and finish my master’s degree, but I’ve been unable to get started working on them.

Despite my best intentions and enthusiasm for setting new year goals, I have found myself struggling to make progress. The truth is, starting something new is always easier than following through and making it a habit. This fact makes me more concerned about my demotivated version of myself.

In the past, I’ve attempted a 50-day challenge, where I set specific goals for myself each day — such as reading, exercising, working on my new profession, and implementing self-care rituals. I also shared my progress with others on Medium, which helped me stay accountable and motivated.

Nowadays, I have faced several obstacles and distractions that have made it difficult for me to stay focused and motivated. I think the biggest challenge was the changes in my life and my routine. I started a new job and changed my profession, which has come with its own set of stressors.

Additionally, I have fallen into bad habits such as neglecting exercise, eating fast food, and not reading as much as I used to. These factors have made it difficult for me to maintain the discipline and focus necessary to achieve my goals. But I’m determined to not let these setbacks defeat me, I will work on this and make progress.

So, despite all of these challenges in my current life, I refuse to let my dreams be put off any longer. Because this is life and there will be always unexpected things and challenges. I am aware of that if I take a break from my routine even for a moment, I will not be able to achieve what I want in my life.

Also, I bought a planner yesterday which has motivated me. Because I believe the reason why I achieved my goals in the previously completed 50-day challenge was planning and setting specific goals. I am considering following a similar path because it is a path that I have successfully followed before.

Maybe I couldn’t start in 2023 very well, but as of tomorrow, my daily goals for achieving by March are these (Since I am planning a trip to Italy in March, I have not decided what to do next after my return yet.):

  • Start with the 1000 jump rope challenge for the first week
  • Return to weightlifting after the first week
  • Make healthier food choices
  • Read at least 10 pages
  • Work on my master’s thesis

The reason why I’m starting my first week with jump rope is that I’ve heard how people benefit from it. So, I want to give it a try, and I will definitely write about my experience and results from it. Before starting, I am planning to take my measurements.

In conclusion, I know that it’s not going to be easy, but I’m ready to put in the work and make a change. I’m determined to be a better version of myself in 2023. With discipline, focus, and a positive attitude, I know I can achieve my goals. Let’s make this year count.

I hope you’ll join me on this journey and don’t forget to wish me luck.

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Merve Yılmaz

• UX Designer •Istanbul Technical University •Top writer in Self Improvement, Health, Life Lessons & Life.