Why I Still Believe in New Year Goals (Even Though I Don’t Do Resolutions) - BLOG

Boom. It’s January.

The month where we all set wildly impossible New Year’s resolutions…
burn out by January 3rd…
and then spend the rest of the year feeling vaguely guilty about it.

Obviously, that’s not the way we’re meant to approach change.

But what I’ve noticed this year is something interesting. After years of failed resolutions, a lot of people have swung hard in the opposite direction. They’re done trying. Done planning. Done setting goals altogether.

“No resolutions.”
“No goals.”
“No pressure.”

And while I understand the exhaustion behind that response, I don’t actually think it’s the answer either.

You don’t have to set New Year goals, but I do think thoughtful planning and goal setting is a very good and very healthy practice. The key isn’t whether you plan. It’s how.

The “Magic” of January 1st (And Why It’s Not Actually Magical)

When people talk about New Year’s resolutions, there’s usually an assumption that January 1st is somehow magical. Like you wake up as a brand-new person who suddenly has more discipline, motivation, and willpower than you did on December 31st.

That’s obviously ridiculous. So instead of trying and failing again, many of us swear off making changes altogether. But here’s the thing: the New Year is a natural time to reassess, not because it’s magical, but because of what comes right before it.

We’re coming off Christmas. A season of feasting, celebrating, late nights, disrupted routines, and full calendars. By the time January rolls around, most of us are craving rhythm again. Simplicity. Structure. Normal bedtimes. Regular meals. It’s completely natural, after a season of celebration, to want to reestablish healthy routines.

That’s often when we start thinking about things like:

• eating better

• moving our bodies

• getting up earlier

• having more energy

• being more intentional with our time

• diving back into Bible reading
• cleaning routines and household management and more

That desire isn’t shallow. It’s human. The problem isn’t wanting change. The problem is how we’ve been taught to pursue it.

Why I Don’t Do Resolutions (But Do Set Goals)

I’ve never set a New Year’s resolution in my life.

Why?

Because resolutions feel like wishes you throw into the universe and hope will somehow happen on their own.

“I want to lose weight.”
“I want to get fit.”
“I want to be healthier.”

Those aren’t bad desires, but they’re not plans.

Let’s say someone makes a resolution to “lose weight.” By December, they’re often frustrated, discouraged, and sometimes heavier than when they started. Not because they’re lazy, but because there was never a clear target or a path forward.

A goal, on the other hand, changes everything.

Is it semantics? Maybe.
But it’s semantics that matter.

A Real Example From My Life

One of my personal goals for 2026 is to lose 30 pounds.

The number itself is somewhat arbitrary. What I really want is to:

• fit into my pre–baby #8 clothes again

• have less pain and stiffness

• regain my energy

• rebuild my strength

If that happens at 25 pounds or 35 pounds, that’s fine. But having a concrete number gives me something to aim for. More importantly, making this a goal instead of a resolution allows me to create action steps—and that’s where real change happens.

My end goal is simple:

Be down 30 pounds by December 31, 2026.

That tells me two important things:

1. This isn’t going to happen overnight.

2. I don’t need to rush or punish my body to get there.

So instead of demanding instant results, I ask a better question: "What small, realistic steps can I take consistently over time?"

How I’m Breaking This Goal Down

Here’s what that looks like for me right now:

Step #1: Diet
I had good success with Trim Healthy Mama in 2025 (and in years past), so I’m starting there again. This feels doable because it’s familiar. If it weren’t, I’d make only diet my focus for January and add other steps later as I got this into an easy to manage habit.

Step #2: Strength training
I’m doing Nourish Move Love’s 30-day beginner workout. And yes, it’s humbling. I’m using 2.5lb weights (don't laugh!) and taking it slow. After baby #8, my core and pelvic floor need rebuilding. My goal for February is to repeat the program with 5lb weights. Eventually, I want to get into weight lifting this year, but not at the expense of healing.

Step #3: Walking
I’m walking the two-mile loop at our local lake two to three times per week, weather permitting. Nothing fancy. Just movement and getting outside with the kids!

Step #4: Gut health
I’m back to daily kefir (December took me off track) and plan to slowly reintroduce cultured vegetables in February and beyond. This is a key piece for me right now. But I'll take this one slowly with all my other goals I have.

That’s it. Four steps. No perfection required.

Why This Works (And Resolutions Don’t)

As I move through January, February, and March, I’ll reassess.

Do I need to adjust my eating?
Increase strength training?
Pull back and rebuild basics?
Check iron levels again? (Getting my iron up helped me lose 10 pounds at the end of 2025.)

I would have loved to lose all 40 pounds in 2025. That didn’t happen. And instead of spiraling, I learned something important: my body needed support first. Now I feel poised to make real progress in 2026, not because I’m forcing change, but because I’m working with my season, not against it.

This Week on the Blog: A Mini Goal-Setting Series

Throughout this week, I’m sharing a short series on planning and goal setting. Here’s what’s coming:

• How to evaluate last year without guilt or discouragement

• How Jason and I plan family goals

• A breakdown of our family goals and my personal for 2026

• My word for 2026 and a prayer for the future

If there’s an area of goal planning you’re struggling with, or a goal you don’t know how to break down, tell me. I’d love to address it in this series.

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Want to Do This Together?

If you’d like hands-on help with planning and goal setting, I’m hosting live trainings January 12–16 inside our Planning & Goal Setting course.

Each day we’ll meet live, I’ll teach you how to:

• set realistic goals

• break them into action steps

• plan in a way that works with your life (not against it)

You’ll also receive all of my planning worksheets so you can take immediate action.

If you’ve struggled to make goals that stick—and you want 2026 to be different—join me for our 3rd annual planning retreat. We’ll do it together.

Sign U Here: https://findingjoyinyourhome.com/planning