It’s that time of year again.
Christmas is over, we are in that weird space of post- and pre-partying, working and waiting for 2026 to come, and suddenly everyone is announcing New Year’s Resolutions in Second Life. Publicly. Loudly. With great confidence.
Which is fascinating, because if there’s one thing Second Life has taught me over the years, it’s this:
Confidence is temporary, but inventory clutter is forever.
And just so you know:
I don’t have New Year’s resolutions. Not in Second Life. Not in real life. Not even the polite, vague kind like “be nicer” or “log in earlier.”
Resolutions require planning, effort, accountability, and the terrifying idea that Future Me might judge Present Me. And frankly, I already get enough of that from my past shopping choices.
But! For those who enjoy a little self-inflicted seasonal pressure, I’ve put together a handy list of resolutions you can absolutely announce with enthusiasm… and quietly abandon by mid-January.
You’re welcome.
The Default Resolutions
(Boring, Negative, and Repeated Every Single Year)
You know these. You’ve said these. You might even believe them for a solid twelve hours.
- “I’m going to clean up my inventory.”
This usually means opening inventory, scrolling once, seeing folders from 2011, panicking, and teleporting away to a shopping event instead. - “I’m not going to shop as much.”
This one is especially popular among people currently wearing demo hair, three group gifts, and those who are ‘just browsing, really’. - “I’m cutting down on spending.”
Bold statement from someone with 73 store credit balances, a gacha addiction, and a suspicious number of alt accounts.
These resolutions are safe. They’re socially acceptable. They sound responsible.
They also make Second Life sound like a budgeting app, which feels… incorrect.
The More Challenging Resolutions
(Ambitious, Wholesome, and Slightly Stressful)
For those ready to level up their self-torture:
- Organise social events or parties
You mean… coordinating schedules? Inviting people? Being social on purpose?
This starts out exciting and ends with you standing alone in a beautifully decorated venue, reassuring yourself that everyone is “probably just busy.” - Visit more places and explore
A lovely idea, until you realise exploring requires effort, curiosity, and sometimes reading notecards. Still, points for optimism. - Help new residents
Truly admirable. Also guarantees at least one conversation where you question every life choice that led you to explaining how camera controls work at 2 AM.
The Truly Unhinged Resolutions
(For the Brave, the Foolish, and the Overconfident)
If you really want to challenge yourself in 2026:
- Learn a new skill
Creating. Photography. Machinima. DJing. All wonderful goals that begin with excitement and end with 37 YouTube tabs open and a strong desire to lie down. - Give fair feedback on the Marketplace… after every purchase
Yes. Even the mediocre ones. Even when the product works fine, the instructions are a single sentence written in 2014.
This is not growth. This is character development. - Unsubscribe from groups you never read
A bold act of self-awareness. This may result in sudden, terrifying silence, the realisation that you don’t actually know anyone, and an irrational fear that something important is happening without you.
My Personal Resolution for 2026
Like every year, I will continue to have no resolutions whatsoever.
I will log in when I feel like it. I will shop irresponsibly. I will explore when curiosity strikes and ignore my inventory the rest of the time.
Second Life is already wonderfully chaotic, creative, exhausting, surprising, and full of tiny joys and some frustrations. I don’t need to optimise it. I just need to enjoy it.
But if you do make resolutions this year:
May they be unrealistic.
May they be abandoned without guilt.
And may you at least have fun pretending you’ll stick to them.
Happy New Year!
