Why I Skip New Year’s Resolutions–and What I Do Instead

I’ve never been a fan of New Year’s resolutions. 

Don’t get me wrong—I love the idea of a fresh start, but resolutions always feel more like wishful thinking than a proactive plan for change. Usually, they take the form of a list of sweeping declarations that get forgotten a few weeks later.

So, I skip the whole thing. 

Instead, I’ve developed a practice that drives my growth more meaningfully: I choose a word for the year.  This one word becomes a kind of North Star, guiding me closer to the self I want to grow toward. It’s not about setting a dozen goals or overhauling my life. It’s about leaning into a core idea that resonates deeply with who I am and where I’m headed.

This single practice has profoundly changed how I approach the New Year and the 364 days that follow.

The Problem with Resolutions

My biggest issue with resolutions is the wistful yet incredibly unrealistic idea that making a list on New Year's Day will magically transform us. Sure, we may be determined to go to the gym or meditate each morning for a few weeks, but genuine change rarely happens through a burst of energy alone. Real, lasting progress happens over time through intentional, ongoing effort.

That’s why goal setting should be done year-round, not just on impulse at the start of the calendar year. If you want to focus on your goals, it’s worth thinking about how to set them in ways that set you up for success.

If you’re looking for a better way to approach goal setting, I highly recommend attending Barb Monson, MBA 's FREE Not Your Mama’s Goal Setting Online Workshop on January 8th, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. CST. It’s a practical, empowering workshop that teaches you how to set meaningful goals you can achieve.

But this post isn’t about goal setting—it’s about cultivating a mindset for the year by choosing a word that guides your intentions, energy, and focus. 

How to Choose Your Word or Theme

Journaling is one of the most powerful tools for growth—especially when you’re mindful about what you’re journaling and why. At the end of December, I find it incredibly grounding to reflect on the past year and my vision of what I want for the year ahead. Choosing a word or theme for the year can become a meaningful anchor for this process, helping me focus my thinking and create clarity about the path I want to take.

If you’re starting this process, here are some journaling prompts to consider. You don’t need to journal on every question—pick the ones that resonate with you and allow yourself to explore them fully.

Reflecting on the Past Year:

• What moments in the past year brought me joy, and how can I create more of that?
• What were the biggest lessons I learned in 2024?
• What did I achieve this year that I’m proud of?
• What drained my energy, and how can I reduce or remove more of those things from my life?
• When did I feel most like myself?

Looking Ahead to the New Year:

What do I want my life to feel like at the end of 2025?

• What habits or routines do I want to build or strengthen?
• What areas of my life need more attention or focus?
• What do I want to let go of that no longer serves me?
• What does success look like for me this year?

Exploring Your Values and Priorities:

• What values do I want to prioritize in 2025?
• What would bring me closer to living the life I want?
• What motivates me to take action?
• What do I want to feel more of in my daily life?
• What’s one area where I’d like to grow or improve?

Brainstorm Words:

• What word captures the energy I want to bring into the new year?
• What word feels aligned with my goals and dreams for the future?
• What would it be if I had to describe the year I want in one word?
• What word do I keep coming back to? Does it feel right? Why?
• What word supports where I am and where I want to go?

Once you have journaled and created a list of words that could be your 2025 word, take some time to sit with it. Which words feel most aligned with your intentions? Which resonates deeply with what you need in the year ahead?

Trust your instincts and choose a meaningful word—it doesn’t have to be profound, just personal. It’s okay if this takes time and the word is not clear immediately; it will come with patience and reflection. 

What To Do With Your Word

Deciding on what word you choose is just the beginning. The real power comes from learning how to embody it throughout the year. Your word can be an inspiration and a tool to determine whether your choices and actions align with the spirit you want to carry into 2025.

To truly embody your word, it’s important to reflect on how it fits into your life and how you can actively integrate it into your day-to-day habits and decisions.

Here are some questions to help you deepen your connection to your word and help you visualize its role in your life:

• Why does this word feel meaningful to me right now?
• What does embodying this word look like in my daily life?
• What habits or routines can I create to align with this word?
• How can this word offer guidance during the challenges I might face this year?
• What areas of my life need this word the most—relationships, career, self-care, or something else?
• What would success look like if I fully embraced this word in 2025?
• What do I need to let go of to fully live by this word?
• How can this word help me grow into the person I want to become?
• What intentions can I set that reflect the essence of this word?
• How can I remind myself of this word throughout the year to stay connected to it?

My Word for 2025: Calm

My word for 2025 is calm and came to me clearly and instantly. When I asked, “What’s my 2025 word going to be?” the answer was clear. I still took time to reflect and journal, not to second-guess my choice but to deepen my understanding of how this word would shape my year. Choosing a word isn’t about a quick decision—it’s about listening to your intuition and letting it guide your intentions.

Calm reflects where I am now and what I need moving forward—a culmination of everything I experienced in 2024, defined by my word, pivot. In 2024, I made a major shift in my career and life. It was a time of bold moves, new beginnings, and building something new, but it came with upheaval, fear, and overwhelming moments.

I also realized the importance of stability. After years of living an unconventional lifestyle, including a year traveling and working in a camper and then a year of splitting my time between Cozumel and the U.S., I finally committed to creating consistency. Late in 2024, I began reducing travel, building routines, and focusing on a more settled way of life.

As I reflected, calm emerged as my word for 2025. It’s not just a theme—it’s a commitment to finding peace and balance and carrying that energy into all areas of my life. For me, 2025 is about choosing calm, cultivating it, and letting it guide me through whatever comes next.

What about you? What word will guide and inspire you in the year ahead?

As you think about your word, remember that it’s not about achieving some ideal self or crossing off a to-do list by the end of the year. It’s about focusing your energy on what matters most and letting that shape how you want to show up in the days ahead.

Here’s to starting the year with intention. If you know your word for 2025, please don’t hesitate to comment or share—I’d love to hear!

Xoxo 

Nicole