Written by Neel Menon

With the new year comes a new opportunity for change.

Another year has passed rapidly, and it has been at least ten months since we gave up on our 2025 New Year’s resolutions.

We got busy, ran out of time, had kids, life…

I’d like to discuss perception and how a chronic pessimistic outlook often hinders our plans.

We, in Western Civilization are often guilty of adopting a victim’s mentality towards adversity.

Nothing is ever our fault.

We have been dealt a bad hand and are powerless to change our destiny.

Right? Wrong…absolutely rubbish!

There is never a situation that cannot be improved slightly, and the first step is to conquer our mindset. Yes, we may have been wronged in the past or have less-than-ideal genetics – but as adults, we need to take responsibility for our own lifestyle failures and the decisions we make on a daily basis as free citizens of this great country.

When reflecting on my own mentality, I often consider different cultures and believe we have much to learn from each other – especially around challenging mindsets!

Consider Japanese culture – many of their teachings are based on ancient philosophical wisdom, which can often be very applicable for us. In Japan, people proudly wear their scars as a symbol of overcoming adversity – a profound concept that greatly changes one’s outlook.

It is a mark of a successful achievement, not an excuse for self-pity.

Of the ancient teachings, one of my favorite concepts is Kaizen (改善), meaning ‘small improvement’. Translated literally as “change for the better” and refers to a philosophy of making small, continuous, incremental changes to improve processes, productivity, and quality over time.

It emphasises a gentle, progressive method of improvement rather than large, disruptive ones, and reminds us that minor improvements can have a life-changing impact if practised consistently over time.

The same is true for rehabilitation, fitness, mental wellbeing, health – whatever your goal, wherever you are situated, regardless of your circumstances.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly, whilst expecting a different result.

Knowing what to do is useless unless you practice and follow through. This can be difficult, which is why it is imperative to have a realistic plan for your goals. Persistence and stamina are just like muscles; they must be tested, used, and built up over time and effort. Habits rarely change overnight.

You can implement the kaizen technique into your life through habit building. Habit building involves adding a small change to an already established habit. The aim is to slowly replace old habits with new, healthier routines.

The last thought I want to share with you today is this: embrace your scars and don’t hesitate to seek help.