“If you’re reading this, this message is meant to find you.”

It’s nothing new to encounter such kind of content on TikTok. And although it’s exaggerated to think the universe conspires to send me “signs” on social media, I’m not taking any chances. If it says I’d have to secure my luck with a comment like “claiming for 2025!” or “this year is my redemption arc,” then, of course, I’ll do it. I trust the algorithm to manifest that “new year, new me” positivity and maybe even guide me to another TikTok saga.

I’m no stranger to taking the bait of “This is your sign to…” posts—the reason why I collated my vision board of New Year’s resolutions. Among them is to start running as a hobby, which I pursued with the same energy as back-to-school shopping (we all know the spark dies). Obviously, I window-shopped online for shoes and athletic gear, and then suddenly, #RunTok flooded my For You page.

I thought, “Is this a sign?” But let’s be real here: there’s a lot more going on than just fervently manifesting our wishes.

The digital marketplace of products and personalities

(Screenshot from elena.jv/TikTok)

Eavesdropping has never been more strategic and data-driven.

Our every move online–our searches, likes, shares, comments, the web sites we visit, the people we chat to, and more–all contribute towards advertisements and recommendations shown to us. This algorithmic commerce is a meticulous system that analyzes online behavior to anticipate our needs by driving purchase intention. So, a featured post is not a mere coincidence, it was carefully and intentionally designed to be seen by you.

The video content for the shoes I want? It’s my ploy. It’s not a sign to fulfill some reinvention to start my 20km goal—it’s just the result of big tech turning the tables on me, making myself a target for online retail marketing strategies. The universe might not conspire to align to my desires, but my algorithm definitely does.

Likewise, social media trends sell personalities by presenting curated identities seen as desirable lifestyles through aesthetics. The churn of trends by algorithms creates a cycle of conformity to change to the latest ideal.

The algorithm isn’t just a personal shopper but a closet of which personality to wear. One minute, “cottagecore” deals with promises of a soft life, linen dresses, and being one with nature. Even the “coquette” aesthetic had its run with romanticism, pink ribbons, lace, and ballet flats.

Despite being a product of algorithms and online marketing, the embodiment of these aesthetics is uniquely personal for some, even though some of these personas are strikingly popular.

Every New Year, the trend of piecing together Pinterest-worthy snapshots to fantasize a new version of oneself makes a comeback. It’s an elaborate and flawless design of visuals, leading us to prioritize how life looks over how it feels.

While vision boards serve a psychological purpose of reinforcing motivations, a picture-perfect collage of words and images of what to achieve and who to become often disconnects us from the grit required to achieve real success and genuine individuality.

Even when approached with the right mindset, for many of us by the year-end, visuals of academic achievements, vacations, or fitness goals often turn into a collection of disappointment.

As “aesthetic” became a designation for a kind of judgment, attitude, experience, and value, the storytelling in painstakingly styled pictures might represent superficiality, setting high standards that leave a sense of emptiness rather than fulfillment.

Making sense of the algorithm begins with recognizing that social media platforms optimize our preferences to predict and influence patterns of our behavior and interest.

Admittedly, most of my free time is spent online, and social media algorithms influence my slang, style, outlook, and self-perception—but building a new version of me goes beyond what data and curated trends suggest I should be.

Breaking free from algorithmic influence

(Photo from Behance)

We should be picky about the content that algorithms spoon-feed us. It is a slow, conscious rewiring to break away from the influences of social media with its overwhelming presence.

Unlearning the habit of being influenced by virality isn’t an overnight fix. The question becomes, who am I without the content I consume? Without the algorithm promoting a lifestyle or fashion trend, I wonder how different I would be.

Especially since it is scrolling on TikTok that got me making arts and crafts for my vision board of pressure to start fresh with goals that reflect external achievements and appearances.

With a picture-perfect board that will dictate the next 12 months, we end up chasing validation and the satisfaction of having achieved something. In doing so, we risk feeling unfulfilled when our vision fails to materialize.

For 2025, maybe it’s time to prioritize internal work instead. Let’s redirect our motivations toward intentional shifts of attitude and mindset to avoid procrastination, to curb distractions, and to build consistency in our commitments.

Rather than replicating what we see on social media, we should be our own trendsetter who is free from the limits of an aesthetic and a linear timeline of change.

The New Year shouldn’t come with rigid expectations on life but a chance to redefine growth in ways we see fit.