The Winter Arc is upon us
Wake up babe, October 1 is the new January 1
While many of you might be waiting until the new year to set goals, many Gen Zers did that a few days ago and have already started transforming their lives.
It’s all because of a trend called Winter Arc that encourages participants to eschew the inclination to hibernate and watch TV as the days get shorter and instead use the last three months of the year to get a head start on resolutions and develop healthy habits.
The concept of the Winter Arc has bubbled in fitness communities for a while but it’s exploded in popularity on TikTok this week because of Carly Berges, a self development mentor who lives in Miami. The 27-year-old posted a video outlining how she was embarking on Winter Arc on October 1 to change her life by the new year and it’s since been watched more than four million times, inspiring a spike on Google Search.
As Berges explained on TikTok Winter Arc is all about, “getting super laser focussed on your goals, on your personal development, on your growth”, so that by January 1 participants are already living their best lives…
The trend has become so popular on TikTok #winterarc is fifth on it’s United States trending chart and more than 250,000 videos have been made using the hashtag.
Many of the young people taking part in Winter Arc are focussed on improving their fitness, making lifestyle changes and learning new skills, but some are going to extremes by pledging to go “ghost mode” by quitting social media and vowing to avoid romantic relationships until 2025.
Several young men have even shaved their heads in preparation for their Winter Arc, with one fitness influencer noahLifts5 claiming that it “serves as a symbolic gesture” and a “test of discipline”. A video of him buzz cutting his hair has been watched more the 25 million times and inspired thousands of others to create videos using the same anime soundtrack.
In anime the term arc refers to a character's transformation and Berges believes that the challenge’s branding is one of the reasons it’s been such a hit with Gen Z. She said: “I didn’t coin the term but I think the name Winter Arc has inspired so many because it makes it feel like it could be a segment in the movie of your life where it's getting colder, it's getting darker and this would be where many would slow down and slack off, but instead you’re going to finish the year strong and kick ass.”
Berges thinks that Gen Z’s inclination to centre themselves, and be the main character of their own lives is another reason her video stuck a chord. She said: “Our generation has a desire to be better, break generational curses, break cycles, patterns and habits and be the best versions of ourselves.”
A common theme for many Winter Arc participants is the desire to “lock in” and find distraction-free focus for their self improvement. Some have separated their many goals into mental, physical and spiritual areas, while others have picked just a handful of habits to crack in the next 90 days.
Existing communities on TikTok, like self help creators, lifestyle girlies and gymtok, have been quick to jump on the trend and helped to accelerate Winter Arc across the platform by sharing their goals and progress.
A sure sign that Winter Arc is dominating For You pages is that some creators are already mocking the trend…
But Berges is thrilled that her video has inspired so many and that the virality of her post has swelled her own online community. Before she made the Winter Arc video she had just 1,300 followers on TikTok and less than a week later she now has 30,000. She said: “It's been so amazing to see how many people are into self development and want to get better. So many people have a deep desire to improve and just don't know where to start.”
So is Winter Arc the new January 1? “I think we’re having a realisation that you can reset any time not just the new year, so yeah,” says Berges. “What are you waiting for?”
It’s hard to argue with her logic, and while I’m definitely not shaving my head, I may see you at the gym.
Are you inspired to create your own Winter Arc? Let me know in the comments…
✨Callback corner✨
Last year highly flammable covered the remarkable rise of Bobbi Althoff. Twelve months on she’s turned her viral fame into a money-spinning career, ended her marriage and is being less awkward according to a new interview with Wired.
This week I’ve been…
OBSESSED WITH:
Cardi B. Not only did she rock fit after fit at Paris Fashion Week just three weeks after giving birth, she also raised the bar for clapbacks and upped her aura points when she went off at her estranged husband Offset on Instagram.
Charli xcx’s billboard campaign to keep the Brat Summer buzz going
WONDERING:
Did Anna Wintour get married?
Are those criticising Chappell Roan for cancelling appearances hypocritical when it comes to their own attitudes to work and boundaries? I’m not sure but Grace McCarrick thinks so…
WATCHING: The trailer for Babygirl *drinks milk*
LISTENING TO: MAGA is Not as United as You Think
READING:
- ’s brilliant take on why Beyoncé’s lack of relatability means her brands stall
The cultural power of the anti-woke tech bro by
in Vox
highly flammable is produced and written by Rachel Richardson
She’s a content creator, commentator and consultant at Beginning, Middle and End
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Email rr@bmend.com
I got some spooky health news and began my winter arc in September. My bestie and I have always called July 1 "demi new year", meaning you can start your new year over at the halfway point.
I started my Winter Arc two weeks ago before I knew such a thing existed. Neat!