January has basically become synonymous with a booze-less, restaurant-less existence, in which we are collectively repenting for all of our December “sins.” January, we tell ourselves, is the time to turn it all around, to go balls to the wall with fitness and healthy eating, to go ALL IN on wellness in an attempt to make up for the fact that we went ALL OUT at all of those holiday parties.

But why?

Why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we create such a life of extremes? It is not healthy for our bodies or for our minds—which is why we’re calling BS on the whole “new year, new you” mentality. Let’s go with “new year, (re)new you,” instead. Cool? It’s a small tweak, but it makes a big difference in how we all approach the beginning of 2019. Instead of believing that we have to whip ourselves back into tip-top shape this month, let’s ease in a bit more gradually, the wellness equivalent of dipping our toes into the swimming pool rather than catapulting straight into the deep end. Let’s look at January as our foundation month, the one in which we set ourselves up for a healthy year ahead without setting ourselves up for an unrealistic life of extremes.

Of course, this renewal will look different for different people. For some, it may mean making a small tweak to your diet—say, cutting out added sugar for the month, or perhaps limiting your dairy intake. For others, it could mean picking your meditation practice back up again after you let it lapse during the holidays, or starting one entirely. And still for others, it could mean attempting to get your daily runs going again. The point is, we can still use January as a month to get back on track after the holidays—we just don’t have to be so extreme about it.

So here’s to renewing your wellness goals this month so that 2019 is your best year yet!