8 Alternatives to New Year’s Resolutions

Since the very first year we were married, my husband and I have set aside time to set goals before the start of each New Year. This has worked well for us in general, but it has become difficult to find time for this—and we’ve had a more difficult time achieving our goals—as our family has grown.

In an attempt to make sure we accomplish positive things in the coming year, I’m considering some alternatives to New Year’s resolutions. We’ve actually never set resolutions (statements of the desire to change or achieve something); we’ve always set goals (statements of what we are going to achieve and when we are going to achieve it). Studies show that people are more likely to achieve goals than resolutions, and we’ve found this to be true in our lives. Nevertheless, over the last couple of years we’ve struggled to achieve our goals.

There are a number of reasons for this, but I believe the most significant is that we simply “bite off more than we can chew.” In other words, we set more goals than we can realistically achieve. What are some approaches we can use that will prevent us from becoming spread too thin? Here are a few possibilities.

Unique ways to set goals for the coming year

• Set monthly goals or undertake twelve 30-day challenges. Focusing on one goal each month helps you apply your efforts to one goal at a time, but still allows you to address multiple goals throughout the year. An additional benefit is that you are less likely to feel like you are doomed to failure when you begin. One year is a long time to keep up a new behavior, but 30 days is more manageable. You can do anything for a month, right? If it’s helpful, you can view this bite-sized approach as you would a 30-day challenge. Here’s what this might look like:
  • I’m going to declutter one area of my home each day for the next 30 days.
  • I’m going to cook dinner at home each day for the next 30 days.
  • I’m going to go on a walk each day for the next 30 days.
  • I’m going to read the Bible each day for the next 30 days.
• Set four 90-day goals. This approach is similar to the monthly approach described above, but you’ll address fewer goals and focus on each for 3 months.
• Choose one word to guide your actions during the year. It has become increasingly popular for folks to select “One Word” at the beginning of each New Year. With this approach, you select a word (or phrase) and use it as inspiration for your actions in the coming year. Here are some examples of words you might choose:
  • Give
  • Simplify
  • Present
  • Gratitude
• Select a yearly challenge. A yearly challenge is like a one-word resolution in that you are going to focus on one thing, but it is different because this thing is a concrete goal, not an overarching theme. If you select just one goal, it allows you to put all of your efforts into tackling it instead of sharing these efforts among several goals. Here are some examples of challenges you might choose:
  • Learn a new language.
  • Get out of debt.
  • Run a marathon.
  • Write a book.
• Create a bucket list for the year. Instead of setting goals, some individuals find it helpful to write a bucket list (a list of achievements or experiences) for the coming year. This approach is useful because it doesn’t create the sense of pressure that goals sometimes do and because it can contain both lighthearted and serious items. Here are some things you might include on a bucket list:
  • Attend a parade.
  • Make a budget.
  • Go camping.
  • Serve a holiday meal at a soup kitchen.
• Engage in self-reflection. Perhaps you don’t feel like you are ready to decide on goals for the coming year. Perhaps you feel overwhelmed or like you are adrift in the craziness that is your life. If this is the case, then you may want to engage in self-reflection instead of coming up with a plan for making changes. Self-reflection is the act of giving serious thought to yourself (your character, actions, motives, desires, etc.). Here are a few things you may do to engage in self-reflection:
  • Keep a journal.
  • Outline your autobiography.
  • Apologize to loved ones you’ve wronged.
  • Ask trusted friends and family members for feedback.
• Reboot one area of your life. We typically use the term “reboot” when talking about computers. In this context, it means to shut down and restart a computer or program. However, you may feel like you need to shut down and restart certain aspects of your life! Here are some examples of how you can do this:
  • Stop interacting with toxic friends (friends who gossip, friends who manipulate you, friends who are negative and pessimistic, etc.), set boundaries, and invest in your relationships with nontoxic friends.
  • Engage in a spiritual detox and then begin spending more time doing things that support your spiritual health (reading the Bible, praying, fellowshipping with other believers, etc.).
  • Stop spending so much time on social media, set limits for your use, and spend more time engaging in face-to-face interactions with the people in your life.
  • Go on a “spending fast,” create a budget, and stick to the budget.
• Write a mission statement or legacy statement. A mission statement is a formal summary of your purpose, values, and aims. A legacy statement captures the significance of your life and describes what you’ll leave behind for others. Writing one (or both) of these can help you evaluate how you are living your life. They can also serve as a compass of sorts to help you determine whether or not to take certain actions. Here are a few questions you may want to consider when writing a mission or legacy statement:
  • What things matter the most to me?
  • What are my greatest gifts, talents, and abilities?
  • How do I want people to remember me?
  • How do I best serve others?

There are some really great ideas here! Some of them could even be used in conjunction with one another (for example, making a one-word resolution and creating a bucket list). I think all of these could be helpful to me to some extent, but I’m leaning towards setting monthly goals. Whichever approach I choose, I will be sure to prayerfully consider what goals to set. This is because I believe an important key to success is choosing goals that are congruent with God’s purposes for my life:

“There are many plans in a person’s mind, but it is the counsel of the Lord that will stand.” Proverbs 19:21 (NET)

I’d love to hear about your experience. How do you plan to make changes each New Year? Are there certain approaches that don’t work and others that do?

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Encouraging Hearts and Home, Over the Moon, Farm Fresh Tuesdays, and Busy Monday.