Here we go again. The start of a new year. While it may spark motivation and a sense of excitement at all the things you can hit ‘Refresh’ on, it is also a time that can cause you to feel overwhelmed…especially when it comes to New Year’s resolutions. We all list them, we try them, and by the end of January (or even before that), we’ve let them go. That shouldn’t come as a surprise, though, because realistically, what is the difference between December 31st and January 1st? One day. Barely anything changes overnight, and that includes our attitudes and routines. The problem we consistently face every year is that we go from zero to one hundred, we set up an audacious amount of things we want to accomplish, expecting to see progress or results right away, and either that doesn’t happen or…we simply can’t keep up.
So, here are four resolutions, from physical health to financial health that you shouldn’t make…and what you can do instead. After all, they say it takes 60 days to create ONE new habit. So don’t set yourself up for disappointment by trying fifteen new things all at once, failing to stay consistent, and letting those resolutions drop before they’ve even had time to grow legs.
Don’t Diet… Find Healthy Alternatives
Diet culture has been out the window for some time now due to the body image issues and “food fear” it causes. On TikTok and Instagram, we constantly see the “what I eat in a day” reels and as inspiring as they are… they’re not always sustainable. Crash diets had a wave for a second, but we also saw what happened: people lost crazy amounts of weight only to gain it all back a few months later when they didn’t keep up with that diet. And truthfully, no diet is going to give you the nutrition your body really needs.
Food is fuel, not the enemy. So, what you can do instead is find healthy alternatives to foods you regularly consume. Do you love pizza? You can still eat a slice of your favorite takeout here and there, but why not try a pure-protein crust over a gluten-loaded one? Love ice cream? Again, perfectly fine. But how about trying dairy-free or vegan ice cream for a change? The flavor profile may be slightly different than you’re used to, but guess what? You’ll get used to it.
There’s nothing worse than depriving yourself of your favorite food or feeling guilty for eating. But if you want to make slow, intentional changes in your diet, start looking at alternatives to your regular diet: choosing whole foods (not processed) when you can, checking ingredient labels (trick: the lesser ingredients, the better), and before you know it…that’ll be your new diet, and one of your New Year’s resolutions to keep.
Also read: The Ozempic Craze: Helpful or Harmful to Women’s Health?
Don’t Gym… Just Move
It’s a running joke that every first week of January, gyms see a spike in memberships. (And fitness apps see an uptick, too.) What’s funny about it is that by the last week of January, nearly half of those members have dropped off or canceled their membership/subscription. For the loyal gym rats (you’re obviously fabulous), this isn’t for you, but for the newbies out there about to drop $200/month on a new gym membership only to let it go to waste… stop before you enter that Planet Fitness. Gyms are the hardest place to workout, ironically, and unless you have extra moolah for a trainer, you might feel the pressure to copy others who are way more advanced than you, or worse, not do anything at all but scroll on your phone.
As part of your New Year’s resolutions, why not work yourself up to a gym? If you’ve barely exercised in your life or have been out of shape for a while, you’re just not getting the full benefits package that a fitness center offers. What you can do for the first few months or half of the year is move. Cardio? Walk around your neighborhood every other day before or after work, or during your lunch break. A good 30-minute walk or jog not only helps get your blood pumping, it’s great for mental clarity. If you give yourself a starting point of say, one mile a day, or 30 minutes a day, you’ll notice that in a month, it’ll be much easier. And now you can steadily increase that time or mileage every month.
Try Different Workouts
Or try a new workout like Wall Pilates or Barre: easy-to-do-at-home fitness routines that most apps offer a free one-month trial for, so if you’re not feeling it, then cancel. You don’t want to overcommit yourself to something you don’t enjoy. It’s okay to explore different forms of exercises until you find the right one, or rotate them every month. Put a reminder on your phone and set aside enough time to actually do these… in 60 days, your body will thank you. You may not have abs yet, but you ARE getting stronger.
Don’t Start a New Hobby or Skill… Hone One
When you have to fill in your hobbies and interests in your dating profile, it’s nice to have a long list of things you’re semi-good at. You can ski, sew, bake, jiu jitsu, salsa, garden, throw an axe… but as the saying goes: “Jack of all trades, master of none.” And if you’ve been thrown this line before, it’s kind of a backhanded compliment. It means that while you’re good or good enough at a lot of things, you’re not really great at one thing. Now if you’re simply interested in learning to tie knots or make sourdough bread, absolutely fine. But there is an inherent skill or craft that you’re designed for, and you know it.
You’ve always been good at sketching; someone describes something and you can put it on paper. They go, “That’s actually really good.” Or you go out with the girls for karaoke and everyone knows you’re going to hit those high notes, Beyonce. But you’ve never really taken the time to hone these skills you naturally have.
What better time than the new year to say, “You know what, I’m actually already pretty good at this… maybe I should perfect it.” Take up drawing classes or voice lessons, and watch what was “good enough” before become excellent within a year’s time. Become a master of your craft. Keep learning the tools in the space you’re naturally skilled. And watch your world grow bigger because of the narrowed focus you gave your gift as one of your New Year’s resolutions.
Don’t Save Pennies… Budget Better
It’s a good thing to want to be financially healthy: to have savings or to invest, to have a retirement plan (yes, even if you’re 25), and a figurative piggy bank to break for a rainy day. Let’s face it, though. Times are tough. The economy has been terrible, and inflation is real. It may be a meme online: a grocery bill of $100 with 10 full bags to show for it in 2014 vs. a grocery bill of $250 for three bags in 2024… but it’s funny ‘coz it’s true.
If you’re feeling the financial weight, you’re not alone. Many families are talking about how even with two full-time incomes, they’re just making ends meet, or how single people are living paycheck-to-paycheck, and how most Millennials and Gen-Zers may never know what it’s like to own a home, let alone pay off student debt.
So, here’s one of your possible New Year’s resolutions: budget better. As much as it would be nice to have a nest egg of $10-20k by the end of 2025, you might get disappointed that it’s actually only $2,000. What you can start doing, though, is making a daily/weekly/monthly budget. Knowing that if you’re paying rent or a mortgage, bills, food, and gas… that’s all automatically gone. What do you have left over? You might not have much, and you don’t want to be saving pennies, but if you manage to stay on budget or even below it… that’s great!
Limit Your Spending
Look at what in the past has cost you to go above budget: was it eating out? Online shopping? Apps you had no idea you were subscribed to? Travel? Lower all of that down to half. Meaning, yes, you can still go out and get an iced latte, but limit the restaurants and takeout to once a month instead of twice. Limit trips to twice a year instead of four. Soon enough, you’ll notice your checking account staying ahead, which means it can feed your savings account, and not just because you put an extra $10 in it now and then.
Make New Year’s Resolutions You Can Keep
New Year’s resolutions are great to have. You want to enter the year with goals and feel like you’re taking control of areas in your life that need it. They should serve as motivation, not as demotion. If you aren’t always consistent, that’s okay. Give yourself some grace, and know that anything you start or re-start takes time to become habitual. What’s great about the year is that it keeps going and there’s always a new day. Find at least one resolution to keep, and create short-term goals or trials for the rest. Most importantly, do what’s healthy, because at the end of the day, that’s what matters most.
We hope you have an amazing 2025! Happy New Year!
