New Year’s Resolutions And Why We Do Them?
Every January, we do it to ourselves. We declare war on our own habits:
No sugar.
More exercise.
Less wine.
Daily meditation.
Perfect skin.
Inbox zero.
By the end of week two, most of us are already consoling ourselves with the very thing we swore off. And by February, those resolutions have quietly slunk off into the shadows, along with our sense of accomplishment. The honest & brutal truth is that resolutions don’t work because they’re usually built on guilt, pressure, and unrealistic expectations. So I’d like to offer a different approach, one that’s kinder, more realistic, and surprisingly effective.
Welcome to the 2026 Project
Not a resolution. Not a vow. Not a punishment. A project. Something you choose because it matters to you, not because you feel you should do it. Something that has a beginning, a plan, and a tangible outcome, instead of a vague hope like “be a better version” or “stop late-night snacking”.
4 Reasons Why a Project Works Better Than a Resolution
1. Projects give you FOCUS
Resolutions pile on a list of ten impossible tasks. A project says: This one thing matters this year. It gives you clarity instead of overwhelming you or resulting in procrastination.
2. Projects require a PLAN
Resolutions rely on willpower. Projects rely on structure. You naturally start asking practical questions:
What steps do I take?
What support do I need?
How do I fit this into my life?
3. Projects have a REAL, tangible outcome
You can finish a project. You can measure it. You can celebrate it. Resolutions often sit in the land of vague self-improvement and therefore collapse at the first sign of life getting in the way.
4. Projects recognise that GROWTH isn’t instant
A resolution demands immediate change. A project allows evolution over time, which is far more realistic and likely to have lasting results.
My 2025 Project, and the One I Haven’t Chosen Yet
Last year, I picked something simple but meaningful to improve my posture.
Not glamorous.
Not too dramatic.
No Instagram transformation photo.
But I was tired of feeling scrunched and achy, and tired of looking like I’d spent a decade hunched over a laptop. So I chose my project. I researched. I stretched. I swapped slouching for stretching and building core strength. And do you know what? It worked. Not perfectly, I still have my slouchy moments, but noticeably improved, and I feel straighter and walk more confidently.
And now, looking toward 2026, I’m still deciding. And that’s the beauty of it. I’m not rushing to “fix myself” on January 1st. I’m exploring what I’d like to build, learn or nurture next.
How to Choose Your 2026 Project
Here are a few helpful prompts:
- What’s one thing that would genuinely improve your life this year?
- What feels exciting, or at least meaningful, rather than punishing?
- What have you put off for years because it felt too big?
- What skill, habit or change would you love to be able to say “I did that” by next December?
Your project could be emotional, physical, creative, relational, practical or playful, such as: building strength, writing something, decluttering a part of your life, reconnecting with joy, improving your finances, learning a hobby, sorting your sleep, healing something emotional, deepening friendships, or making space for yourself.
A Gentle Mindset Shift for 2026
Imagine if, instead of “New Year, New Me”, you said, “New Year, Evolving Me”. Personal projects don’t demand instant transformation. They’re about giving yourself room to grow and change, not squeezing yourself into a new 2.0 version overnight. So, skip the resolutions list this year. Pour a glass of something bubbly, grab a notebook, and ask: What’s my 2026 personal project? What’s one thing I’d love to nurture, learn, or rediscover?
Because transformation isn’t a sprint that starts in January 2026.
It’s a journey that unfolds all through the year, one inspired step at a time.
