LATE BLOOMERS NEW YEAR, SAME BRAIN: The neurodivergent guide to New Year's Resolutions
Dec 31, 2025
They unpack why traditional New Year’s resolutions often flop for neurodivergent brains. They explore perfection traps, shame spirals, and hyperfocus extremes. Practical alternatives include sensory supports, special-interest time, simplifying tasks, and honest communication about needs. The conversation emphasizes rest, joy, and building goals that fit your brain instead of forcing neurotypical rules.
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Unhealthy Fantasy Fuels Failed Resolutions
- New Year’s resolutions often start from an unhealthy fantasy of perfection that neurodivergent people hyperfocus on.
- Rich illustrates this with extreme examples like planning to go to the gym twice a day and making an hour-long perfect nutritional smoothie that lasts three days.
Extreme Goals Write Failure Into The Plan
- Resolutions set as extreme ideals prime people to fail because they assume perfection is required.
- Rich points out that this OTT, obsessional mindset (hyperfocus) writes failure into the plan like declaring you will run a marathon while going to the gym every day.
Stop Trying To Be Neurotypical
- Do stop trying to be neurotypical when setting goals and instead tailor resolutions to how your neurodivergent brain operates.
- Rox recommends checking whether a resolution is for the neurotypical fantasy you wish for or realistically achievable by neurodivergent you.