Every January I used to sit down with a fresh page and write the same list. Drink more water. Save more money. Get up earlier. Finally finish that thing I started last year. And every February, somewhere around week two or three, that list would quietly disappear into a drawer.
Sound familiar? This year I’m trying something different, and I’d love for you to try it with me. I’m starting the year without a resolution.
Why the List Never Worked for Me
Let’s be real: most resolutions are just last year’s guilt with a new date on it. They start from the idea that something about you is broken and needs fixing by the first of the month. No wonder they don’t last. It’s hard to build anything good on top of “I’m not enough yet.”
I also noticed that my lists were full of things I thought I should want. Very little on them came from asking what I actually needed.
The Question I’m Asking Instead
So instead of a list, I’m starting with one question: What do I want more of in my days?
Not my year. My days. Because a year is too big to hold, but a day is something I can actually shape.
When I sat with it, the answers surprised me. More quiet mornings. More laughing with people who know me. More time writing for the joy of it, not because I have to. Fewer evenings lost to scrolling.
None of that needs a deadline. It just needs attention.
How I’m Putting It Into Practice
- A weekly check-in, not a yearly goal. Every Sunday I ask: did this week have more of what I want? If not, what got in the way?
- One small thing at a time. If I want quieter mornings, I start with ten minutes, not a whole new routine.
- Grace for the off weeks. A bad week doesn’t cancel the year. It’s just a week.
Give Yourself Permission
If you’re feeling the pressure to have it all figured out by the end of the month, I want to give you permission to put the list down. You can begin the year exactly as you are. You can choose direction over perfection.
Try it with me. Grab your journal tonight and write one line: This year, I want more of…
Then let that be enough for now.
Here’s to a year of more of the good stuff, friend. You don’t have to earn it first.
Want a little more support along the way? My two journals, Nurturing Your Soul: A Guide to Practicing Self-Care and The Mindful Journey Journal, are available on Amazon.
