Beyond Resolutions: Sustainable Wellness for the New Year & Beyond

By Katie Landa, MHC

As we transition into a brand new year, many of us are feeling a whole host of contradicting emotions. Excited for a fresh start, and apprehensive about letting go of time that's passed. Motivated for change, but burnt out from the last 12 months. There are lots of dialectics to hold, and it's not easy to decide which emotions need the greatest amounts of our attention.

A new year symbolizes new beginnings, opportunities, and challenges, and it’s also the time of the year when many of us find ourselves reflecting on the last 12 months in a bit of an overwhelming way. As we reflect, we may fixate on our shortcomings- the fitness goals we didn’t quite achieve, the financial aspirations we fell short of, or the ongoing habits we promised ourselves we’d break. But focusing on what didn’t go “right” can often overshadow the things that did. 

Sometimes our emotions get the best of us, and distract us from feeling pride for the amazing things that we actually did accomplish this year.

If you struggle with big emotions, there are certain patterns to look out for that will either cause you to kickstart the year in a really tough way, or ground you constructively to approach 2025 full steam ahead. 

EMOTIONS TO BE WARY OF

1. Guilt and self-judgment about all the things that you didn’t accomplish.

2. Regret for the decisions you made that weren’t “perfect.”

3. Feeling anxious and putting unnecessary pressure on yourself for 2025.

Instead of allowing these emotions to consume you, practice one of my favorite skills: Effective Rethinking.

Effective rethinking is the ability to recognize when a thought process isn't working for us, and thinking a new thought that is for more effective instead. Here's how it would look for the 3 emotions that may set in this week:

• Instead of regretting your decisions from 2024, allow yourself to feel proud of your growth, and remember that mistakes are a crucial part of being human.

• Instead of feeling guilty about the things you didn’t accomplish, make a commitment to stick to your values this year in tangible, practical, ways.

• Instead of falling into the trap of anxiety, embrace the unknown and rest assured that there is power in not knowing exactly how things are going to go.

Once your emotions are back on your side, you can set the stage for how to show up for yourself in a deeply intentional and authentic way. Instead of committing to grandiose resolutions, try reflecting and setting value driven intentions, that are reflective of the strengths and clarity you already have inside, instead:

 REFLECT CONSTRUCTIVELY

• Ask yourself: What was the greatest lesson that last year taught you? How can you embody that wisdom in 2025?

• What are you willing to commit to in 2025 that will help you live a more connected life?

• What were some of your greatest challenges in 2024? How will you set the stage differently this year so you live with more ease?

• What is one area of life that you didn't give enough attention to last year. How can you carve out time to prioritize it this year?

SET INTENTIONS + GOALS

• Set realistic goals. By taking smaller, more achievable steps towards your goals, there is a greater chance that you will stay on track and achieve them.

• Do more of what makes you happy. Most of us forget to consider this when mapping out our weeks and days.

• Embrace self-compassion. When you have an off day (we all have them), commit to checking in with yourself and practicing acceptance.

• Leave behind things that no longer serve you.

• Live in alignment with your values.

• Identify a single mantra/word to live by.

This year, in order to set goals that we can actually stick to, let's focus on the following: harnessing our emotions to focus on what we've already done right; embracing our innate wisdom, acceptance and flexibility; setting small goals that can be achieved realistically; and committing to values of happiness and self-compassion.

Here's to 2025, may you achieve everything you intentionally set your mind to this month and for the entire year to come.