Back when I was a full-blown perfectionist, the idea of not having a New Year’s Resolution fully formed by the very beginning of the year would have given me a minor panic attack. I wanted it all figured out on January 1st and the year would surely be doomed if that didn’t happen. I could have used some ideas on New Year’s Resolution Alternatives.
Thank goodness I proudly identify as a recovering perfectionist now, because I love that I don’t even set traditional resolutions anymore! And I certainly had nothing for the new year ready to go on January 1st. (And given that there is a whole day in January dedicated to people who have already given up on their New Year’s resolutions, maybe that’s a great thing…) So, in case you needed permission to start some great things for the “new year” a little later in the year, I thought I’d share some of my favorite non-traditional ways to make the year ahead something to be excited about. The best part about these? You can put your own timeline or spin on any of these suggestions- because there is nothing magical about January. Start now!
- Word of the year (or quarter, or whatever time frame…): This has become my favorite of all New Year’s Resolution alternatives- I am obsessed with words, so this is a natural fit. I pick a word for the year that seems to call to me and I try to say yes or no to habits and big events that align with that word. I have friends who pick a different word for each quarter, so decide on an amount of time that works for you. Some years my word has related to one specific goal I have in mind and I want to build the year around supporting that. Many years ago, after a hard pregnancy and post partum period, I knew I wanted to start a running practice and see what it could do for my mental health. My word for the year became endure. I figured I’d feel pretty good if that led to completing a 5k at some point that year. I shocked myself by ending that year signing up for my first half marathon and that part of my life has only grown from there. Other times, my word is just a focus or feeling I want to cultivate. I once chose the word “good” to remind myself each day that good enough is good enough and not everything needs to be “perfect” and it really helped as I approached a variety of goals and challenges that year.
- Fill the Jar: If you are more of a visual learner, this might be the perfect practice for you. Like every option in this post, this method can be tailored to your specific goal or stage of life. The idea is to give you a visual marker of progress. You can do this by filling a jar one bean or marble at a time when you do something you want to create a habit (not stopping for fast food, going to bed with a clean kitchen, taking a daily walk, saying hi to a neighbor, this works for so many things!), and watch as your progress adds up throughout the year. Or, you can write on brightly colored post-it notes or other paper something amazing that happened each week or something you are grateful for or ONE thing you did that week that moved you closer to a goal or made you proud. What I love about both methods is that they take the focus off perfection. You don’t have to keep a habit streak going flawlessly to see those marbles add up. Each positive choice counts. You don’t have to have a perfect week to find 52 wonderful things that happened to you or that you made happen this year. But if you’d rather empty a jar than fill it- I suggest checking out this post and combining it with my next suggestion of a seasonal bucket list…
- Bucket Lists or Bingo Boards: I make seasonal bucket lists with my kids, but I know a lot of friends that have made bucket lists for the year instead of a New Year’s Resolution so that they focus more on experiences. You can keep this list in your notes app or as a giant piece of art in your home for the year as you check things off. More recently, bingo boards for the year seem to be popular. This takes some of the pressure off a bucket list because you can brainstorm a bunch of things you’d like to do, but you don’t HAVE to attempt them all this year- you don’t need a blackout to win bingo, just start filling in squares and eventually go for at least getting one line of cool goals or experiences done!
- Monthly Themes or Challenges: Some goals might feel too overwhelming for a full year and you just want to focus on them for a month. Popular examples include Sober October (alcohol free), Mindful March (focusing on meditation or intentional gratitude each day), No Spend November (no spending on anything but bills and groceries before the holiday season). Last year, I had a friend do Social Media Free September… your theme or challenge doesn’t have to be alliterative though- you can do a 30 day decluttering challenge or focus on any of the above themes ANY month of the year!
Did you notice a theme in these? Your New Year’s Resolutions don’t have to start at a certain time or look a certain way. The whole point is to give yourself a little time to think about how you want to spend what time you have. As moms, we so often put our own hopes and goals on the back burner instead of approaching things for ourselves or as a whole family. I hope these New Year’s Resolution Alternatives inspire you to live a more joyful and intentional year- no perfection necessary!
