6 Lies Kenyans Tell Themselves Every January

The new year is in full swing and as per usual, Kenyans will have already set themselves a long list of goals as part of their 'fresh start'.

Whether it's a new day, new age, new job or new business plan, nothing inspires us more towards self-improvement than starting afresh. Similarly, there's no better period to start afresh than during the New Year.

At the start of January, you probably have told yourself many times that you're going to change your habits such as waking up earlier, going to the gym five times a week, getting that job promotion or being there more for your loved ones, among others. However, Kenyans know too well that they have made similar resolutions every start of the year and almost none of them materialise.

Viral Tea takes a look at these common lies Kenyans tell themselves in January and how to make strides towards real change:

Everything will be different this year

When a new year begins, some things will change, some will evolve, and, inevitably, some will stay exactly the same. What you witnessed in 2022 for example might probably stay the same in 2023.

A fireworks display in Nairobi on January 1, 2022. /CAPITAL GROUP

Change as well as self-improvement does not happen overnight, rather it might take weeks, months or years until one sees some real change and any changes that do take place will likely be due to some sort of purposeful action on your part.

Self-improvement is a long-term commitment that simply cannot be solved with just a few New Years' resolutions which end up being unrealistic. In fact, the one resolution you might want to make is to stop lying to yourself about the need for one. 

I'm going to hit the gym five days a week

Around January, a majority of gym facilities across the country will be packed with Kenyans trying to lose the weight they gained through overeating during the festive season. However, there is no lie that is as wild as hitting the gym five days a week (Monday to Friday, for instance).

Moreover, many realise that maintaining a healthy lifestyle and working towards achieving the physique of their dreams requires consistency, like anything else, and most of them begin to fall out by February or March.

For better results, give yourself some flexibility. For example, you could make it a goal to go to the gym between one and three times a week.

I'll wake up early

Many people lie to themselves that waking up earlier will make them more productive, but that's not always the case. Simply put, if you have been waking up late, it will take time for you to adjust yourself to wake up early.

If you overhaul your sleep schedule completely, you risk exhaustion, which could damage your productivity. If there's no real reason you need to wake up earlier, you're probably better off staying in bed.

I'm not going to buy clothes/items I don't need

With the fears of an increase in the cost of living allayed by President William Ruto on Sunday, January 1, it might be easy to tell yourself that you will make goals to save money, which is a good idea. However, you might tell yourself that you will only buy necessities, which might not work.

Allow yourself to spend on a few fun pieces of clothing so you're reminded how good it feels to have extra cash that you have worked hard for and saved up to spend. A good saving tip for Kenyans is the 50:30:20 rule for managing your money more effectively which breaks down your money into three parts:

1. Essentials (50 per cent) - this goes into needs (housing-rent/mortgage, food, utility bills such as electricity or water and transportation costs, if not working from home)
2. Wants (30 per cent) - personal desires (those that enhance your lifestyle such as your mobile phone plan, television plan and even gym membership)
3. Savings (20 per cent) - also goes into investing

I'm never drinking again

We have all been there; waking up on a New Year's Day with a serious hangover and swearing that we will never drink again. It's an admirable goal for many party-going Kenyans who will probably regress the following weekend.

Kenyan women during a past party. /FILE

Instead, decide to drink in moderation, then, decide what moderation means to you. Specificity is key here. 

I'm deleting my social media apps

Social media does have its cons and in a way does haunt us, but it does not mean that you must get off the Internet entirely.

What the COVID-19 pandemic forced many Kenyans in the formal sector to do was to work from home, needing just their laptops and an internet connection. This, therefore, means that one is more exposed to social media than ever before, whether companies put restrictions or not, thus you are more likely to check out what's happening on social media.

You are even more likely to check out what digital media platforms such as Viral Tea are saying in terms of news updates whether local or international or what is happening in the world of gossip or sports; topics most followed in the country.

What you can do instead is try deleting the apps that grab your most attention during the week and re-downloading them on Friday night. The weekend will feel like a reward, and who knows, maybe you'll realize you're happier without them.