Maybe I Do Want Slytherin After All

I have decided to slither into the upcoming new year. I’m going to get all snaky about it. Instead of thinking of the new year as a baby wearing a 2023 sash, I will envision myself wriggling out of a crusty old skin and leaving it behind.

We are always encouraged to make resolutions to “better” ourselves in the new year by getting rid of what doesn’t measure up. Far too often though we base our goals on what we believe others expect from us. Choosing to work out more because you truly want to be fit and healthy is one thing; working out to achieve acceptance by others or to avoid being seen as not good enough is something quite different.

What if we used the traditional reset of New Years to shed the layers of expectations others have invited us to adopt, whether those expectations are voiced, implied, or simply echoing in our heads? What if New Years was a true do over? A cat-swipe that cleared off every expectations others have handed to you. What if you decided for yourself what matters most? You might feel a little exposed without your old skin to protect you, but the new one you weave for yourself will probably fit much more comfortably.

Cinse Bonino
2022