When the cold creeps in and the post-festive blues settle all around, the tradition in January has always been to try and reinvent oneself. We always determine to do or be ‘better’ or ‘fix’ ourselves with the dawn of January – but what if this year your resolution is to decide to just…not? What if you don’t have to view January as cold and blue while unattainable resolutions slide by the wayside: what if you can accept January for what it is? Another month to be you, as you are; no ‘fixes’, no judgements, no resolutions. Just the start to another year of the kind of growth, healing and happiness that works.
Here are 3 ways you can ensure that your January feels lighter and brighter and sets up your year in a way that doesn’t set you up for failure.
1. Reflection, not restriction.
It can be so tempting to follow the crowd and decide to give something up in the New Year to try and reinvent yourself. But what if instead of taking something away this January, we decide to give something back? Instead of resolving to restrict your diet or your time, try reflecting instead. Think about the things that brought you joy and peace in 2025 and carve out a little time to add them in throughout January 2026, and the rest of the year. Maybe it’s going on more walks, embracing nature, or simply including more of someone you love in your life, be it a loved one, a friend, or a group of people that help you to feel good. Or maybe it’s even simpler than that, and you take the time to reflect on the things that brought you the most happiness or comfort that day.
2. Rediscover, don’t reinvent.
It can be so tempting to view January as the ‘turning over of a new leaf’ – and it can be in so many ways! But a ‘new leaf’ doesn’t have to mean a ‘new you’. You are great exactly as you are. Try to remind yourself this January of the people in your life who love you, and show up for you, and the people that you show up for too. There are people in your life who have chosen to have you in it, because of all the great things you bring. We don’t give ourselves enough credit for the skills and talents we already have. Take time this January to reflect on yours. Maybe it’s time to dust off the paintbrushes or dig out your old dance shoes! Or maybe January can be about rediscovering yourself in more spiritual ways and focussing on the attributes that make you who you are. You don’t need to carve out a ‘new you’ this January – you can show up this month exactly as you are.
3. Sweat the small stuff.
One of the biggest reasons people give up so quickly on their New Year’s resolutions is because they go too big, too soon. If you aren’t a runner, it is ludicrous to expect yourself to go out and run a 5k three times a week in the coldest month of the year. If you are looking to lose a little weight, it isn’t sustainable to crash diet for the first week of January and expect huge results through unrealistic restrictions. We are very often guilty of trying too much in January, and when the novelty of the new month and the year ahead wears off, we lose motivation and give it all up. Instead, this year be a little more realistic – and a little kinder – with yourself, and think of the small things that you can do each day that will help you towards your long-term goals. It takes up to 21 days to form a habit, so if you know you want to start journaling more, don’t set yourself the task of writing a heartfelt article every evening as you wind down for bed – start small, like writing out 3 things you’re grateful for that have happened that day. The same with grounding – if you know you want to spend more time connected to the earth, don’t expect yourself to wake up 45 minutes earlier than you usually might to stand outside for 10 minutes in the frosty dark – try just a couple of minutes while you wait for the kettle to boil with a few deep breaths, or while you have your morning beverage. Standing with your feet on the cold ground with a warm drink in your hands is a wonderful juxtaposition of temperatures that some people find really liberating.
Our small, daily rituals are the things that can move us forwards towards more joy and an open heart – it’s the little things that stick with us, and finding time for small moments of movement, reflection and communication can have a big impact, and they only require a little of you each day.
So, this January, pack in the resolutions, pack up the expectations, and allow yourself to accept that no one needs ‘fixing’ this year, including you.