Podcast Summary: "Reacting to My Old New Year's Resolutions"
Anything Goes with Emma Chamberlain
Host: Emma Chamberlain
Episode Title: Reacting to My Old New Year's Resolutions
Release Date: December 8, 2024
Available On: Spotify (Video only)
Emma Chamberlain delves deep into her personal journey of setting and reflecting upon New Year's resolutions over the past two years. In this candid episode, she shares her successes, setbacks, and the valuable lessons learned from her attempts to better herself both personally and professionally.
1. Introduction
Emma sets the stage by presenting two lists of New Year's resolutions—one from 2023 and another from 2024. She expresses her intention to react to these resolutions, assessing her achievements and failures to glean insights about herself and the broader concept of setting yearly goals.
“I can almost guarantee we will discover at least something sort of interesting.”
[00:00]
Emma emphasizes that New Year's resolutions are not inherently good or bad but can serve as personal seeds planted for future growth.
“I think New Year's resolutions are neither good nor bad. I used to kind of hate them. I’m not anymore.”
[01:45]
2. Reflecting on 2023 New Year's Resolutions
Emma reviews each of her 2023 resolutions, providing an honest assessment of her progress.
a. Find the Hobbies That Excite Me and Lean Into Them
Emma admits failure in this area due to the overwhelming demands of her career and social life, which consumed 99% of her time.
“I haven’t found a sustainable model for it yet.”
[03:20]
She acknowledges that some of her hobbies are integrated into her career, blurring the lines between work and personal interests.
“A certain portion of my working life is stuff that used to be hobbies for me.”
[04:15]
b. Resilience Against the Internet: Stop Being So Scared of It. Have Fun with It
Emma discusses her battle with internet anxiety, particularly the fear of being canceled—a fear that significantly impacted her mental health.
“I was tortured by my fear of the Internet over the last few years.”
[05:30]
She details her breakthrough moment when she decided to confront her fear head-on, leading to a healthier relationship with the online world.
“I chose to not be afraid anymore because I couldn't survive another day of being afraid.”
[07:10]
c. Use Social Media for Posting Instead of Looking: Retrain My Brain to Healthier Sources of Entertainment
Emma successfully achieved this resolution by adopting the strategy of using two separate phones—one for addictive apps and another for productive and healthy activities.
“I have two phones now. One has social media... and the other has only the healthy stuff.”
[09:45]
She proudly notes her end to doom scrolling, enhancing her mental well-being.
“I am no longer addicted to doom scrolling, and it is fucking awesome.”
[11:00]
d. Associate Less of My Self-Worth with My Physical Body
Emma reflects on her struggle with self-worth tied to her physical appearance, a common issue among young people. She identifies strategies that have helped her shift her focus to her heart and mind.
“The more I surround myself with people who treat me right, the more I see my value as a human being.”
[13:25]
She acknowledges ongoing progress but recognizes the journey is far from over.
e. Be More Thoughtful About How I Spend My Money
Though she didn't achieve this in 2023, Emma notes a significant shift in 2024 where she overcame her shopping addiction by becoming more mindful of her expenditures.
“I spent too much time on shopping actions, not on meaningful purchases.”
[16:40]
f. Make More Time, Slash, Prioritize Projects That Excite Me
Emma confesses her failure here, attributing it to her obsessive perfectionism in her career projects, leaving little room for personal, fulfilling endeavors.
“I have been quite bad at prioritizing fun projects for years.”
[19:50]
g. Spend More Time Being Grateful for the Present Moment Rather Than Stressing About the Future
While Emma shows some improvement through mindfulness practices, she admits there's still significant room for growth.
“I could still be better at appreciating the present.”
[21:15]
h. Stop Getting Overly Attached to People I Love Out of Fear of Losing Them
Emma shares her progress in building healthier relationships by surrounding herself with people who reciprocate her love and support, reducing unhealthy attachments.
“I no longer have the unhealthy attachments where I feel I need someone to survive.”
[23:50]
3. Reflecting on 2024 New Year's Resolutions
Emma shifts focus to her 2024 resolutions, highlighting a less successful year compared to the breakthroughs in 2023.
a. Read More Books
Despite some progress, Emma only managed to read three books, acknowledging that reading is not her natural inclination.
“I read probably three books this year. That does not count as success.”
[26:30]
b. Watch More Movies
Emma reveals her aversion to watching movies, preferring YouTube as her primary source of visual entertainment.
“I fucking hate sitting down for a movie.”
[28:10]
c. Only Go on Social Media to Post
Successfully carried over from 2023, Emma maintains her disciplined approach to social media usage.
“I have accomplished that. So that's great.”
[30:00]
d. Work More at My Desk, Less in My Bed
Emma achieved this by creating a functional and inviting workspace, allowing her to separate work from her personal sanctuary.
“I set up my desk in a way that makes me want to sit and do my work.”
[31:45]
e. Manage My Time Better, Improve My Overall Productivity
While Emma notes an improvement in productivity, she recognizes that this hasn't translated into more time for personal experimentation.
“I have improved my productivity, but I need to dedicate some of that time to experimenting.”
[33:20]
f. Learn a Bunch of New Things
Emma admits she hasn't made significant strides in enhancing her photography, videography, or musical skills, despite having the necessary tools and environment.
“I have not done any of those things in 2024.”
[35:10]
4. Insights and Conclusions
Emma concludes that while not all resolutions were met within the set timeframes, the act of setting them planted essential seeds for future growth. She encourages listeners to view resolutions as long-term commitments rather than immediate achievements.
“Even though in 2023 they didn’t come to fruition, that seed was fucking planted.”
[38:00]
5. Looking Ahead: 2025 New Year's Resolutions
Emma shares her preliminary resolutions for 2025, focusing on maintaining clear life goals, intentional time management, minimalism in consumption, and enhancing her skills in various areas.
a. Maintain Clear Goals for My Life
Emma aims to establish and uphold clear objectives to avoid feeling directionless amidst numerous opportunities.
“Having clear goals helps you make clear decisions on what to do with your time.”
[40:15]
b. Be Intentional About Dedicating My Time Towards Ultimate Goals
She emphasizes prioritizing activities that align with her long-term personal and career aspirations.
c. Buy the Least Amount of Stuff Possible. Consume Less
Building on her 2024 success, Emma seeks to maintain her mindful spending habits to prevent relapse into old shopping habits.
d. Help More People
Emma aspires to increase her acts of kindness and volunteer more, seeking opportunities to assist others in her daily life.
“I want to be there to help whenever someone needs it.”
[43:30]
e. Read More Books
While still uncertain, Emma hopes to integrate more reading into her routine without pressuring herself.
“Stop pressuring yourself to read books, Emma. It doesn't work in your lifestyle right now.”
[45:00]
f. Learn a Bunch of New Things
Emma lists ambitious goals such as improving her barista skills, mastering music production software, and enhancing her photography and videography abilities.
“I really want to master my new espresso machine because there is an art to it.”
[46:20]
6. Final Thoughts
Emma wraps up the episode with a mix of humor and sincerity, inviting her listeners to stay tuned and observe her progress through social media updates. She encourages her audience to set their own resolutions without the pressure of immediate success, advocating for patience and perseverance.
“2025 is almost here. Let's make it a fucking good one.”
[48:50]
Emma expresses gratitude towards her listeners, reaffirming her commitment to personal growth and inviting feedback on her journey.
Notable Quotes with Timestamps
-
On Planting Seeds: “Even though in 2023 they didn’t come to fruition, that seed was fucking planted.”
[38:00] -
On Overcoming Fear of the Internet: “I chose to not be afraid anymore because I couldn't survive another day of being afraid.”
[07:10] -
On Minimalism and Spending: “I am no longer addicted to doom scrolling, and it is fucking awesome.”
[11:00] -
On Building Healthy Relationships: “I no longer have the unhealthy attachments where I feel I need someone to survive.”
[23:50]
Conclusion
Emma Chamberlain's episode "Reacting to My Old New Year's Resolutions" offers a transparent and introspective look into her personal development journey. By sharing her triumphs and tribulations, Emma not only humanizes the often daunting task of setting and achieving resolutions but also provides relatable insights for her listeners. Her emphasis on patience, self-compassion, and the importance of planting seeds for future growth serves as an inspiring message for anyone striving to better themselves.
Connect with Emma: Follow Emma on social media through the Anything Goes podcast to stay updated on her progress and upcoming episodes every Thursday and Sunday.