Let’s be real. Every year we promise ourselves that the "new year, new me" energy is going to stick, and by February, we’re back to scrolling until 2 AM and overpaying for subscriptions we don’t use. But looking at things to leave in 2024, there’s a different vibe this time. It feels less about "fixing" ourselves and more about just stopping the stuff that’s clearly not working anymore.
We’ve lived through a weird few years. Social media got noisier. Inflation turned grocery shopping into a sport. The way we work changed, then changed back, then got confusing again. Honestly, the collective burnout is hitting a tipping point where we can’t just keep carrying the same mental clutter into the future.
If we’re going to actually make 2025 better, we have to be ruthless about what stays behind.
The "Hustle Culture" Delusion
Remember when it was a flex to sleep four hours and have six side hustles? That needs to stay in 2024. Forever.
Data from the American Psychological Association has been screaming for a while now that chronic stress is basically a slow-motion wrecking ball for our health. Yet, we still act like being "busy" is a personality trait. It's not. It’s just exhausting. Real productivity isn't about doing the most; it's about doing what matters without ending up in a hospital bed from exhaustion.
People are finally starting to realize that the "grind" usually just enriches someone else while leaving you with a caffeine dependency and no hobbies. We should probably stop praising people for never taking their PTO. It’s weird. If you have vacation days, use them. The company will still be there when you get back, and if it isn't, you probably shouldn't have been working there anyway.
The Myth of the 24/7 Availability
We’ve let our phones turn us into on-call employees for every person we’ve ever met. That little "read receipt" is a prison.
One of the big things to leave in 2024 is the idea that you owe everyone an immediate response. Just because someone can reach you doesn't mean they are entitled to your time right that second. Setting boundaries isn't mean. It’s survival. In 2025, let's bring back the "I'll get to it when I get to it" energy. Your nervous system will thank you.
Doomscrolling as a Hobby
We all do it. You’re lying in bed, the lights are off, and you’re just swiping through bad news until your thumb hurts and your brain feels like mush.
It’s a cycle. You see something terrible, you feel bad, you swipe to see if it’s getting better, it’s actually getting worse, and suddenly it’s 1:00 AM. Researchers at Flinders University found that doomscrolling can lead to a "darker" view of humanity and lower life satisfaction. No surprise there.
It's one thing to stay informed. It’s another to let an algorithm feed you misery because it keeps you engaged.
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One of the most vital things to leave in 2024 is the belief that being miserable makes you more aware. It doesn't. It just makes you miserable. Try replacing the last 30 minutes of your night with literally anything else. Read a book. Listen to a podcast about something stupid like 18th-century pirates. Build a Lego set. Just get off the feed.
Curation vs. Reality
We’re also hopefully moving past the era of the "perfect" life. You know the ones—the beige houses, the perfectly behaved children, the organized pantries that look like a museum.
It’s fake. It’s all fake.
The trend of "de-influencing" started picking up steam, and honestly, we need more of it. People are tired of being sold a lifestyle that requires a professional lighting crew and a team of assistants to maintain. Authenticity is a buzzword that gets thrown around a lot, but in 2025, it should mean actually being messy. Let’s leave the filtered, airbrushed, staged version of existence in the past.
Fast Fashion and the "Haul" Obsession
We have to talk about the mountains of clothes.
The environmental impact of fast fashion is staggering—the industry is responsible for about 10% of global carbon emissions. That’s more than international flights and maritime shipping combined. Yet, we’re still seeing "hauls" where people buy 50 items of clothing for $100, knowing half of it will fall apart after one wash.
Buying cheap stuff is expensive in the long run. It’s a waste of money and a waste of the planet’s resources.
Moving away from fast fashion is one of the smartest things to leave in 2024. Start looking at "cost per wear." That $80 pair of jeans you wear three times a week for three years is infinitely cheaper than five pairs of $20 jeans that rip in a month. Thrift more. Swap clothes with friends. Just stop feeding the machine that treats clothes like single-use plastics.
The Micro-Trend Cycle
Every two weeks there’s a new "core." Cottagecore, Gorpcore, Barbiecore, Mob Wife Aesthetic. It’s exhausting to keep up.
By the time you buy the outfit, the internet has moved on to something else. This cycle is designed to make you feel out of date so you keep spending. True style isn't about following a TikTok trend; it’s about knowing what you actually like and what looks good on you. Let’s leave the "aesthetic" chase behind and just wear what we want.
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Toxic Positivity and "Good Vibes Only"
"Just be happy!"
No. Sometimes life sucks. Sometimes you’re grieving, or stressed, or just in a bad mood, and being told to "look on the bright side" is incredibly annoying.
Toxic positivity is the refusal to acknowledge anything negative. It’s dismissive and it prevents people from actually processing their emotions. When we say things to leave in 2024, this should be high on the list. We need to be okay with not being okay.
Real resilience isn't about smiling through a crisis; it's about acknowledging the pain and figuring out how to move through it. Let’s stop shaming people for having human emotions. If someone is going through it, "that really sucks, I’m sorry" is a much better response than "everything happens for a reason."
Performance Activism
Posting a black square or a specific hashtag doesn't actually change the world.
We’ve seen a lot of people using social issues as a way to boost their own brand without doing any of the actual work. If you care about a cause, donate. Volunteer. Educate yourself. Vote. But stop acting like a temporary Instagram story is the same thing as activism.
It’s performative and it’s hollow. In 2025, let’s focus on quiet, meaningful action over loud, empty gestures.
The Loneliness of the Digital Age
Surprising fact: we are more connected than ever but also lonelier than ever. The U.S. Surgeon General even declared a loneliness epidemic.
We spend so much time "interacting" with people through screens that we’ve forgotten how to just be with people in person. Sending a DM isn't the same as a phone call. Liking a photo isn't the same as grabbing a coffee.
One of the best things to leave in 2024 is the reliance on digital interaction to fulfill social needs. It doesn't work. We need eye contact. We need to hear people's voices. We need to be in the same room. Make an effort to see your friends in real life. Host a boring dinner party. Go for a walk. Physical presence is the antidote to the digital void.
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Stop Ghosting
Can we just... stop? Unless someone is being abusive or creepy, just tell them you’re not interested. Or tell them you’re busy. Or tell them you can’t make it.
Ghosting has become the default because it’s "easier" than having a 30-second awkward conversation. But it’s incredibly rude and it leaves people hanging. Let’s bring back basic manners. A simple "Hey, I don't think we're a match" or "I'm not in a place to date right now" is all it takes. Be a grown-up.
Subscription Overload
Check your bank statement. Right now.
How many streaming services are you paying for? How many apps have a $4.99 monthly fee that you haven't opened since last summer? Companies are banking on you forgetting to cancel.
The "subscription economy" is designed to bleed you dry in small increments. One of the most practical things to leave in 2024 is the "set it and forget it" mentality with your money. Audit your subs. Cancel the ones you don't use. You can always resubscribe for one month if a show you actually want to watch comes out. Don't give away your money for nothing.
Actionable Steps for a Better 2025
Moving past these habits isn't about a massive overnight transformation. It’s about small, intentional shifts.
- Audit your digital life: Unfollow accounts that make you feel bad about yourself. Delete the apps that eat your time without giving anything back.
- Set a "hard out" for work: When the day is done, the laptop stays closed. No emails on the phone. No "just checking" Slack at 9 PM.
- Invest in quality: Buy fewer things, but buy better things. This applies to clothes, tools, and even friendships.
- Practice "Active Rest": Doing nothing is a skill. Try to sit for 10 minutes without a screen, a book, or a distraction. It’s harder than it looks, but it’s how your brain resets.
- Show up in person: Schedule one face-to-face hang out per week. Even if it’s just a 15-minute walk.
Leaving things in the past isn't about being perfect. It’s about realizing that your time and energy are limited resources. Stop spending them on things that don't deserve you. 2025 is coming whether you're ready or not—you might as well walk into it without all that extra baggage.
Focus on the people who actually show up for you. Eat food that makes you feel good. Spend your money on experiences rather than stuff that ends up in a landfill. Most importantly, stop being so hard on yourself for being human.
The best things to leave in 2024 are the expectations that weren't yours to begin with. Throw them away and see how much lighter you feel.