Why I Don’t Set New Year’s Resolutions (And What I Do Instead)

I hate reolutions! Yep, I said it, and I’m not sorry!

In all seriousness, hate might be a strong word, but I really think resolutions are one of those things that end up playing against us, instead of helping us get to our desired life.

Why? There are multiple reasons, and I’ll explain them now.

But before we dive into that, I want to clarify what I mean by “resolutions” so we are all on the same page here.

When I use the word resolutions I’m taking about the new habits or actions we just say we’re going to incorporate like “I’m going to the gym 3 times a week” or “I’ll meditate 20 minutes every day” or “We’ll have 4 screen-free date nights a month”… you get the picture!

But why are these wrong? They generally are things we want to do to improve our life, why wouldn’t they be good?

Well, first, let’s address the moment they’re usually made.

Resolutions are often the things we discuss as the end of the year approaches or when the new one has just begun. But I’m sorry guys, it is not the right time to do so! In terms of nature, astrology, and in most ancient traditions, it is not a moment for taking action and making decisions but more a moment for introspection, for reflection, for gathering insights and preparing to enter a new cycle, especially this year, in 2026.

If there was a better time to set resolutions it would probably be closer to the middle to end of March, after the Chinese new year (based on solar and lunar cycles) and the eclipse season and around the beginning of Spring season. Then, the energy will be more opportune for renewal and stepping into action, supported by Aeries energy and nourished by the insights from the aforementioned introspection.

The other reason why I don’t use resolutions is because they often lack foundation

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Have you ever noticed how the majority of people tend to abandon their resolutions halfway through the first trimester? You might have been in that situation before… I know I had in the past. And it’s not because we lack motivation, it’s usually because our resolutions lack a few important foundational things, namely purpose and intention.

The purpose behind a resolution is the intrinsic why behind it, the deeper reason that made us want to make a change and pushed us to think of that resolution.

And the intention that drives a resolution is the result and consequence we are looking for with that resolution. It’s the direction in which we want that resolution to take us.

So now take a moment to think, do all the resolutions you’ve set for yourself this year have a clear purpose and intention?

And I’m not talking about “I want to be calmer” level of purpose. If you can, try going deeper and question yourself. For example in this case, why exactly do you want to feel more calm? Is it to be in better physical health? Is it because it’s taking a toll on your mental health? Is it because it’s affecting your family? Depending on the purpose, the intention will differ, and you might find yourself changing the “resolution” to better fit the direction you want.

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So you see, it’s not so much the idea of resolution I dislike, but the imposed timing and the general lack of intentionality in setting them. If you want to keep calling them resolutions, that’s absolutely fine, but how about thinking differently about when and how you set them? As a female entrepreneur, I think you have a lot to gain.

If you’re ready to start making the shift and want to make sure you’re going the right way with your “resolutions”, book a Clarity Call and let’s talk about it.