You know the drill, it’s New Year’s Eve, you’re sitting on the sofa, polishing off a box of chocolate while scrolling down everyone’s resolutions which range from “Losing 20 pounds before June” to “Learning to love kale” to “Waking up at 5 a.m. every day to “seize the day”.  I’ve been there and set myself overly ambitious goals only to ditch them before January ends. 2024 was a resolution-free year for me: no crazy goals, no guilt, no pressure.

 Why I Chose a Resolution-Free Year

I picked up my old notebook and read through my abandoned goals. I realised that my past resolutions weren’t about what I wanted, they were about what I thought I should want.

Instead, I focused on small, meaningful intentions. Small actions such as getting more sleep, remembering to water my plants before they turned brown or keeping an expenses sheet made more sense and sounded more achievable.

Here’s how ditching resolutions transformed my mindset.

Redefining the meaning of success

Resolutions sound good in theory, but in practice they’re like those fancy gym memberships; you pay for them but rarely show up. They add pressure, and when you inevitably slip, you feel like a failure. No thanks.

I thought about the meaning of success and how it’s equated with achieving something big and flashy. I don’t know how and when we started glamourising the grind, turning sleepless nights and relentless deadlines into badges of honour. How we started equating worth with productivity, celebrating those who worked 80-hour weeks, never took time off, and responded to emails at 2 am as the epitome of success. “Thriving under pressure” became a skill and taking a break was seen as a sign of weakness. And I bought into that culture for so many years but this year, I decided to step off that treadmill. My version of success shifted to include smaller victories. Success became about helping a client complete a project on time or writing a blog post without stopping to watch “just one more episode” on Netflix.

The Power of Small Intentions

My intentions were laughably small! Drink a glass of hot lemon water before coffee, set 30 minutes in the calendar to learn a skill or go through a course once a week. But these tiny changes made a huge difference to my mental equilibrium because I was able to commit to them and hold myself accountable.

A Healthier Approach to Wellness

Instead of embarking on painfully frustrating diets, I prioritised good nutrition. I also had several health issues which I ignored for years so I booked a doctor’s appointment without hesitating for three months. Fixing all those nagging issues had a tremendous effect on my physical and mental health.

I swapped the “getting a six pack before the summer” resolution for specific and measurable intentions like “do weight training 3 days a week and limit my carbs intake to 30g a day.” It was less about achieving perfection and more about making progress.

Redefining Beauty and Self-Care

Our standards of beauty need a serious shift as well! I am a firm believer in embracing natural beauty through simplicity but I also found it hard to leave my house without makeup!

My challenge was to spend less on makeup and beauty products. No more covering up dark circles with concealer; I now cover them with eight hours of glorious, uninterrupted sleep!

After a few weeks of solid sleep, my mood improved, my skin glowed, and I only wore makeup on rare occasions. 

Letting go of deadlines

Deadlines used to stress me out. Without them, I felt lighter, more creative, and oddly productive. Sometimes, letting go is the key to moving forward.

Rekindling old friendships

One of the most rewarding shifts during my resolution-free year was rediscovering the power of connection. In our overwhelmingly digital world, relationships tend to take a back seat. I made an intention to reconnect with old friends and actually follow through with plans to see them instead of sending the occasional “we should catch up soon! ” Text.

Each interaction felt like a breath of fresh air. It felt so good to connect and share life updates, laugh about old memories and talk about things that really mattered.

Connections don’t have to be complicated. They’re not about finding the perfect moment or a big occasion. You just need to reach out to the people who matter to you and show up for them. These moments reminded me that while life moves fast, the people who’ve been there for me are worth slowing down for. And in a year where I let go of so many pressures, nurturing these relationships turned out to be one of the most fulfilling intentions I set.

The Emotional Benefits of a Resolution-Free Year

Finding Joy in the Little Wins

Celebrating small victories, like sorting up the giant mess in the guest-room’s cupboard or remembering to bring my reusable bags to the supermarket brought me more joy than any big resolution ever had.

Cultivating Gratitude for Life’s Small Moments

Appreciating the little thing thought me new things about myself. I learnt that the smell of fresh coffee in the morning made me happy and the sound of rain had a calming effect on me.

Noticing the beauty in everyday moments, like the way sunlight streams through my office window and makes me feel warm or the absolute joy I get from baking my own bread made me feel brought me new levels of contentment. 

Focusing on the Journey Instead of the Destination

My resolution-free year taught me that the journey matters more than the finish line. Whether it’s skiing or learning to parallel park (if I’m honest I’ll never fully master this one), the process is what makes it worthwhile.

Life will always throw curveballs at us but being flexible keeps us grounded.

my decision to Never Go Back to Resolutions

Ditching resolutions was the best decision I’ve ever made. It freed me and allowed me to focus on what truly matters, forgiving myself and living with intention.

Do resolutions leave you feeling more stressed than inspired?  try letting them go. Embrace small intentions, savour the present moment and see where the year takes you. You might just surprise yourself.”