Why You Should Ditch New Year’s Resolutions This Year — and What to Do Instead
For many of us, the start of a new year means it’s time to make resolutions. We promise to exercise more, eat better, or finally declutter the hall closet or garage. Yet studies (and our own unused gym memberships or still cluttered closets!) show us that most resolutions fail by February.
As women of faith, we can point to a deeper reason why our resolutions often fall flat: we’re relying too much on self-will and not enough on God’s guidance.
I don’t know about you, but I can definitely relate to that!
How many years have I looked ahead to the new year and written down all my “hopes and dreams” and made a plan and goals for the year ahead only to realize a month or two in that I’m feeling stressed out and miserable instead of peaceful?
Inspired by my own coach, this year I'm not setting goals per se. I'm focusing on prayer and being open to where He wants to lead me.
Sure, I have some projects I’d like to work on, but I’m not mapping out my year, making a vision board, or writing SMART goals. One caveat: I’ll set a goal around the number of books I want to read, but that’s for fun and doesn’t feel like a goal.
Instead of writing a list of resolutions that may leave you feeling frustrated or inadequate, this year, I encourage you to join me in this approach rooted in faith and surrender.
The Problem with Resolutions
They Center on Self
New Year’s resolutions often put the spotlight on our efforts to change or improve. This comes with a mental burden that we may not even realize we’re carrying. Setting goals isn’t inherently wrong, but there’s a chance that we prioritize our will over God’s will for us. Our plans can unintentionally crowd out the space for His guidance and strength. When we’re juggling family, work, and spiritual commitments, this self-focus can lead to feeling overwhelmed and even disconnected from our faith. I’ve 100% been there, done that!
They Lack Flexibility
We all know it — life rarely unfolds as we expect. Remember that saying? “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.” Even vague resolutions like “pay off the credit card” can leave us discouraged when setbacks arise. A more flexible approach allows us to adjust and grow without guilt when plans change. There’s a delicate balance between challenging ourselves and pushing ourselves too hard when it’s really time to pull back.
They Miss the Bigger Picture
Resolutions often focus on external changes — weight loss, productivity, or financial goals. These areas can certainly be worthwhile, however, they may neglect the deeper spiritual transformation or renewal that we’re really craving.
A Better Way to Approach the New Year
Instead of writing resolutions, join me in trying these Christ-centered practices to shape your year:
Pray for a Word, a Verse, or a Saint
Ask God to guide you to a single word, a scripture verse or a specific saint to focus on for the year. This word becomes your spiritual anchor, reminding you of His presence and purpose in your life. I’ve chosen a word of the year for several years now, but am learning that I really need to start praying about it way back in October and let it find me. Last year I didn’t discover my word until part-way through February!
One year it was vocation, last year it was presence. I’m looking forward to what God reveals to me in and through my word for 2025 (don’t currently know what it is yet).
Set a Faith-based Intention
Replace rigid goals with faith-based intentions. For example: “I want to trust God more with my finances” or “I will seek joy in daily moments.” These intentions invite God into the process and allow space for His leading. You can certainly create some specific action steps around those intentions to help you carry them out, but the foundation is the intention, not the goal or tasks. It’s a subtle, yet helpful distinction.
Commit to Reflection, Not Perfection
This sounds big, I promise it’s not! Start a monthly reflection practice where you evaluate your spiritual, emotional, and physical health. We’re not one-dimensional and it’s key to look at all areas of our health. This practice also keeps your focus on growth over time rather than immediate results — celebrating what’s working and being intentional with the area/s that need specific attention.
I’ve been doing this every month for years now, and it’s incredibly helpful! In fact, on January 10th as part of the Simplified Homeschool Summit, I’m doing a short training on this 5 Minute Snapshot of Your Health. You can watch for free, but only for 24 hours, so be sure to check it out!
Practice Gratitude and Surrender
Embrace a mindset of thankfulness for what God has already done and surrender the upcoming year — and every day — to Him. Gratitude shifts your perspective from what you need to do to what God is already doing. Surrender and letting go of our plans helps us grow in trust and live with greater peace.
My gratitude journal started years ago as a last-ditch effort to find some shred of happiness or gratitude when I was struggling with depression. There were days when the only thing I could write down was that I was grateful I had a bed, but over time it’s become a key part of my evening routine. Beyond writing down what you’re grateful for, it can also be incredibly powerful to write down the ways it’s true that God has taken care of you (with health, finances, relationships, etc.). Simple, but powerful stuff!
Final Thoughts
As you consider a different perspective this year, I invite you to join me for the free Healthy Habits Reset. It’s not a diet, or a set of rules and restrictions. It’s simply 10 days where you get to focus on some habits that you’d like to pay more attention to. You don’t have to change anything if you don’t want to! The best part is, you get to do it with a group of women who offer support and accountability. Click here to learn more and register!
Each day is a new opportunity, but there’s something sparkly about the start of a new year. This year, let’s go in gently, and with peace instead of with a mental list a mile long of everything we want to change. Let’s focus on God’s plan instead of our own. Let’s be open to the peace that He gives us when we surrender our lives to Him. Let’s remember that we are made for heaven and not for an eternity of to-do lists.
