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There isn’t a lot to say about the last day of the year, that hasn’t been said.

We approach the bittersweet ending with hope of a new beginning. At least we do this if we we’re feeling well-adjusted.

• Sometimes the year is a dumpster-fire and we’re hoping the next will be better.
• Or the year was good, but we need to work to make next year better.
• Perhaps just resolving to, once again, do what we never can do.

Most of these approaches lack respect for who we are and who we hope to be. It’s a kind of caricature of living a profound and full life.

Here’s how we can actually show ourselves a little respect.

1. Review the past year productively.

Take actual time to go through the past year and take stock. Goal-setting productivity gurus love to encourage evaluating your activity. But that isn’t the only option.

• You can also try a gratitude list.
• Collect accomplishments.
• Reread your journal.
• Reminisce with friends and family.
• Go on a trip.
• Look through pictures.

Really, anything that requires looking back at the last year. And I’m not sure any of it is worth doing if we aren’t going to name something worth remembering.

2. Make generous plans for yourself.

Anyone can make an ambitious goal they don’t intend to complete. Or give themselves easy wins that amount to the things they do every year. We can “play it by ear” or “go with the flow.” And we can choose to plan nothing at all.

There is nothing generous about making plans we don’t intend to keep, aren’t capable of keeping, or, similarly, refusing to make any plans when we know we have stuff we want to do.

Personally, I find productivity culture a lot like a hustle. And a lot of people beat themselves up for not achieving goals they have no business setting.

Instead, we ought to make plans for the new year with a generous heart. For yourself and for your family, friends, and neighbors.

• Plan to do something you’ve always wanted to do.
• Make something a priority you’d rather put off.

These usually don’t require elaborate plans, lifehacks, or pre-set productivity journals. We just need to decide to give it a try.

Be generous with yourself.

New Years resolutions fail. They always do.

But we don’t need to see life as a failure because of it. Or make the (wrong) assumption that we are a failure because we couldn’t do the thing nobody can do.

Just be generous.
Generous with gratitude and a positive attitude.

And then plan to have a good year. It doesn’t have to be. But at this point, this path is the only way it can be.