“People aren’t losing ambition—they’re finally being realistic about what a healthy life is,” explains Thalia-Maria Tourikis, certified health coach and burnout prevention expert at Headway. “Years of overworking, burnout, constant financial stress, and nonstop digital noise have taken a toll on the current state of things. Smaller, sustainable goals compound over the long run, which aligns better with keeping yourself emotionally stable.”
How many resolutions should you set?
This also applies to the number of resolutions you set. “Opt for three to five resolutions,” Tourikis suggests. “The fewer, the better.”
Keeping your list of resolutions short and sweet will help you stay consistent and avoid burnout. “When you remember that each goal requires small, daily actions, even a short list can represent a meaningful commitment,” Tourikis says.
Speaking of lists, it’s also a good idea to actually write one out. “Handwriting activates specific parts of the brain, making it easier to recognize our intention,” says Tourikis. “It also encourages accountability and helps to change self-perception. When we write our plans and check off what we have accomplished, we receive additional satisfaction from what we have done, which feels like a buy-one-get-one-free deal.”
Know your why
No matter how big or small the resolution, it’s bound to fall through the cracks unless you work out a compelling case for making it in the first place. In other words, it is imperative that you “have a why,” says Liz Moody, personal growth expert and host of the Liz Moody podcast. “I like to think about how I could be a different person next year than I was last year, and I’ll identify the broader impact that my resolution might have.”
For example, a vow to eat more vegetables could result in more energy and cleaner skin. Or an exercise-based resolution could help lessen anxiety and sleep issues. “A lot of people say I want to lose weight, but they don’t have a reason except that society tells them to lose weight. It’s hard to stick with something if it’s based on societal messaging but not tapping into deeper motivations,” Moody says. So ask yourself: Why am I doing this? And if you can’t find the answer, maybe let it go. Doing things for purely aesthetic reasons tends not to work. “People love us regardless of our abs,” she says. “But if you can figure out how a resolution will make you feel? Now that is a powerful motivator.
Try values, not goals
Similarly, our resolutions have a better chance of sticking if we set them to reflect our moral values, says Marwa Azab Ph.D., a psychology professor at Cal State University Long Beach. “It’s been a year of moral injury, and finding something meaningful is the best thing that you can do to feel better,” she says. A distinction she likes to make is the difference between being purposeful and being meaningful, defining the latter as anything relating to our inner values. “Instead of focusing on goals, pick your top three values, and no matter how low the world gets you, commit to never compromising.”
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