Here we are in the middle of the first month of the year. The glitz, sheen, and expectations of a squeaky-clean start to 2025 have started to wear off. Advertisements selling us booze, sugar, and holiday pleasures have quickly shifted to pushing the latest wearable fitness tracker or diet plan, telling you to learn some self-control and get your life on track. There is a reason that ad companies thrive on this kind of advertising model— because change like this never works.
Sooner or later we will be back looking for a new solution to the deep lack that we feel. There is a term used by advertisers intentionally to describe this: it is called the “pain point.” Even when I was starting Solid Ground, a marketing consultant told to think about not only what potential clients would need, but what would make them feel bad enough to seek us out. And this was for a mental health practice! Obviously, this is not a model that I moved forward with — pain, fear, and scarcity should not drive your goals.
So that’s why I am starting this blog now, in the middle of January, when we have all started to feel that exhaustion of faltering resolutions starting to set in. I’d like to suggest a different model: starting out this year by allowing ourselves to recover. As a professional who works in the world of substance use, the term “recovery” is multifaceted. That is intentional. Many people look towards January as a time to cut down on their substances, and if you are working towards a Dry January, good for you!* However recovery is not only about sobriety—it is also about healing and allowing ourselves the space to really overcome this scarcity brain that has taken hold of us (especially during this holiday season). If you are left feeling emptiness, feeling “not enough,” or feeling alone- know that this is by design. Advertising, social media, and the culture at large benefit from your feelings of lack. Take this time to recover in a myriad of ways: physically, emotionally, spiritually, and (maybe even financially). This can help you have the clarity you need to make real and lasting changes in 2025.
*If this is you, check back soon: we will cover the topic of taking breaks from drinking as a form of self-discovery later this month.
