Welcome to a brand-new year - 365 uncharted days brimming with potential, uncertainty, and promise.
Photograph: Pexels
Text: Lyndsay Jensen
Dear readers
As the calendar flips, many of us tend to focus on resolutions, goals, and plans that promise transformation. Yet this year, let’s pause and consider a different approach.
Instead of the usual “New Year, New Me” mantra, what if we leaned into something deeper? What if we allowed the new year to be less about reinvention and more about recognition - not about fixing ourselves, but about uncovering and celebrating the best of who we already are?
The power of the pause
Our lives often feel like they’re stuck in fast-forward, where productivity is king and moments of stillness are far too rare. But the new year offers an opportunity to pause, to breathe, and to ask the kinds of questions we’re often too busy to entertain:
What energised/drained me in the past year?
Where did I feel most alive?
What’s been quietly calling for my attention that I’ve been too preoccupied to hear?
Taking the time to pause doesn’t mean stopping progress. It means taking stock, making space, and honouring the present before we rush into the future. In doing so, we focus on what truly matters.
Progress over perfection
New Year’s resolutions often feel heavy: the notion that we must be thinner, wealthier, more accomplished, or more disciplined to be worthy. But what if we let go of that pressure? What if we approached change with curiosity instead of criticism?
Progress doesn’t require perfection. It requires consistency, patience, and a willingness to embrace missteps as part of the process. This year, instead of demanding perfection from yourself, celebrate small wins. Each effort, no matter how small, adds up. Give yourself the grace to grow without judgment.
Lean into your values
Before chasing goals, ask yourself: do these aspirations align with my values? Or are they borrowed from societal expectations, peer comparisons, or the never-ending scroll of social media?
A life well-lived is built on a foundation of values. Perhaps this is the year to nurture relationships that have taken a backseat. Maybe creativity lights you up, and it’s time to give yourself permission to paint, write, or dream without worrying about “results.” Or it might be that courage is your guiding light, and this is the year to take risks, speak your truth, or pursue something that both scares and excites you.
Clarity around your values turns vague resolutions into meaningful intentions. And intentions, grounded in what truly matters, have the power to sustain us even when the initial excitement fades.
Embrace the unexpected
There’s a quiet truth about New Year’s planning that we rarely admit: most of what shapes a year is beyond our control. Life has a way of surprising us with detours, challenges, and gifts we couldn’t predict.
Rather than clinging tightly to specific outcomes, consider adopting a spirit of adaptability. When plans don’t unfold as you’d imagined, embrace it. When opportunities appear, meet them with openness. A resilient mindset sees change not as an interruption but as an invitation to grow.
A milestone year for us
As you step into this new year, we invite you to join us in a moment of celebration. This marks the 7th year of The International—seven years of stories, connections, and community. We’re deeply grateful for you, our readers, who have supported us on this incredible journey. Remember that you don’t need a new year to be a new you. This year isn’t about becoming someone different; it’s about becoming more fully yourself.
Our 7th birthday as a publication inspires us to continue our meaningful conversations and bring diverse perspectives to light as internationals in Denmark. Here’s to celebrating the past, embracing the present, and stepping boldly into the future - together.