Anyone who has ever tried to lose weight knows that the expectation of being a "New You" quickly falls flat. Fat or thin, buff or flabby, the guts that make us us are the same no matter what size we are, now matter what new resolutions we draw up. The journey to an "after" through body changes is a false one—unless you consider being dead a destination.

We can all try to be better: fitter, healthier, more informed, more compassionate, more globally responsible, more relaxed. But the the quest to be better is not just a body project. We will not be a smarter, funnier version of ourselves in a smaller pair of jeans. We pin our quest to improve ourselves on our bodies, and that is so, so misguided.

Let's be thankful for these bodies that we inhabit now. Let's make a map of the places they've taken us and the accomplishments they've helped us pull off. These bodies are pretty capable and awesome just the way they are.

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