New Year, New Perspective
The last day of the year offers a precious opportunity to pause, an invitation to soften and reflect before the pressure to set resolutions for the new year sets in.
Maybe this year you skip the resolutions and opt for something that will make a real difference in your life. Research suggests that most resolutions fail within a month. Part of the reason may be that resolutions are outcome-driven and binary (you either succeed or fail), and they rely on willpower to produce change. This leaves many of us feeling like failures rather than renewed.
You might start seeing advertising campaigns pushing “New Year, new you.” But what if you flip the script this year and, instead of viewing the beginning of the year as a time to change everything, treat it as a time to reflect on what’s going right and what you want more of in your life, incorporate a supportive ritual, or start a gratitude practice?
Reflection
A recent New York Times article by Jancee Dunn, “7 Questions to Ask Yourself for a Happier New Year,” offered reflective prompts to shape the year ahead.
Some of my favorites from this list were:
“When did you feel the most joyful and carefree?”
“What gave you energy – and what drained it?”
“What habit, if you did it more consistently, would have a positive effect on your life?”
I’ll add another question to this list that was not in the article: “Who or what do you need around you to help you stay true to what matters most?”
These questions help you focus on what adds to your life, so you can put more time and energy into those things and eliminate or move away from the energy vampires. Sometime in the next week, take a moment to sit quietly and write down the answers to these questions. Notice any themes and what you most want to focus on in the New Year. If you’d like some help with this process, consider joining my New Year Restorative Yoga and Journaling Workshop on January 6. You can learn more and register online here.
Rituals
As suggested by Suleika Jaouad in a Substack post titled “Against resolutions,” you might consider adopting a ritual. Jaouad says of rituals, “They create atmosphere. They offer rhythm and containment. Where resolutions depend on willpower—a finite resource, especially in times of illness or uncertainty—rituals build scaffolding. They don’t ask us to muscle through. They anchor us in time, place, and meaning … They don’t demand overnight transformation. They ask only that we return—to the canvas or the page, to the body, to ourselves—and see what shows up.”
One of my intentions for the past year was to write more. I tried a few different rituals and stuck with each for varying lengths of time. Because being in nature feels restorative to me, I decided to start a new ritual in 2026, using Lorna Scobie's book 365 Days of Art in Nature. Take a moment to consider what small thing you could do each day that brings you comfort or joy.
Gratitude
Gratitude is another tool to bring more happiness into your life. There are many ways to practice gratitude. Here is one that takes only five minutes and includes a step to help you clarify your day's priority.
Each morning before you start your day, say out loud three things you’re grateful for. Not in your head. Out loud. Include one about your life, one about a person, and one about progress.
Then, write down three things you’re NOT going to do today. Things you’re consciously choosing not to worry about. With the clutter gone, what’s the obvious, clear next step for your day?
I hope these tools help you start the new year feeling happy rather than weighed down. If none of the above resonate with you, I leave you with this simple blessing from Jack Kornfield:
May I carry forward what truly matters.
May I release what no longer serves.
May I walk into this new year with courage and care.May we choose love again and again.
May our world remember its own goodness.
