When you “couldn’t be more excited” (hint: you could, and that’s okay)

Here they come. Instagram captions from people all over stating that they ”couldn’t be more proud” of the year they had in 2022, and that they “couldn’t be more excited” for the year ahead of them. 

I hate it when people say this. 

I immediately start doing the math. You couldn’t be more proud? Let’s see, you worked with 25 brands, you made 37 videos…could you be more proud if it was 30 brands, and 50 videos? I bet you’d be more excited for the new year if you had a $1 million contract, and a $100,000 speaking gig lined up. You’d be more excited if that was the case, wouldn’t you?

I know for most people, this expression is a shorthand way of summing up their year. I don’t mean to be a hater. But I think this statement is rooted in a misconception of what it takes to be happy. 

First of all, you definitely could be more excited. And second of all, things don’t need to be absolutely peachy for you to be thankful or excited. You can have merely a decent year, and still be proud of it. You can still be figuring things out and still be excited for what’s ahead. Even if you had a bad year, you can be proud of yourself for making it through, and looking forward to a fresh start in 2023. 

Accept what you have. Make peace with where you are. Stop overselling it to yourself. 

This is where gratitude begins.