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Goals Over Resolutions

A Kinder Way to Begin the Year

 

Hey my friends,

There’s something about the start of a new year that feels like a deep breath. A blank canvas. A quiet moment where we look ahead and whisper, “This year, I want things to feel different.”

And almost everywhere we turn, we’re told the answer is New Year’s resolutions.

Eat better. Try harder. Be more disciplined. Fix yourself.

But what if this year… we didn’t treat ourselves like a problem to be solved?

What if we chose goals instead of resolutions — and did it with a little more kindness?

Resolutions often come from a place of pressure.

They’re usually rigid, all-or-nothing promises made in a burst of motivation:

• I’ll never eat sugar again.
• I’ll work out every single day.
• I’ll finally become the “better” version of myself.

And when life happens — because it always does — those resolutions crack. Miss one day, make one “wrong” choice, and suddenly the whole thing feels like a failure.

That’s not because you lack willpower.

It’s because resolutions don’t leave room for being human.

Goals are different.

Goals are flexible.
Goals are curious.
Goals ask, “What would support me?” instead of “What’s wrong with me?”

A goal isn’t a demand — it’s a direction.

Instead of:

I must completely change my life starting January 1st.

A goal sounds more like:

I’d like to feel more energized this year. What small steps might help?

See the difference?

One tightens the shoulders.
The other softens them.

Imagine you’re painting this year like Bob Ross paints a landscape — no mistakes, just happy little adjustments along the way.

Here are a few ways to approach goal-setting with care:

Instead of focusing on outcomes, begin with emotions.

Do you want to feel:

• More peaceful?
• More confident?
• More nourished?
• More connected to your body?

Feelings make powerful guideposts.

Ask yourself:

• Does this goal honor my body?
• Does it respect my current season of life?
• Would I encourage a friend to pursue this in the same way?

If the answer is no, it may be a resolution in disguise.

Growth doesn’t move in straight lines.

Some days you’ll step forward.
Some days you’ll rest.
Some days you’ll learn something important about what doesn’t work.

All of it counts.

Examples: Resolutions vs. Goals

Resolution:

I will stop eating junk food.

Goal:

I want to add more foods that help me feel satisfied and energized.

Resolution:

I’ll lose 30 pounds this year.

Goal:

I want to build habits that support my health and respect my body.

One approach breeds shame.
The other builds trust.

You don’t need to reinvent yourself overnight.

You are not behind.
You are not broken.
You are not failing because your path looks different than someone else’s.

This year can be about listening.
About learning.
About choosing goals that meet you exactly where you are — and gently walk with you forward.

So here’s your permission slip:

Set goals, not resolutions.
Choose compassion over criticism.
Trust that small steps, taken consistently, create real change.

I’m cheering you on — every step of the way.