As we enter a new year, many of us feel the pull to set resolutions. The pattern is familiar. We make a list. We write down goals like eating better, exercising more, organizing our homes, or spending less time on our phones. These are fine intentions, but often they become just another layer of pressure. Another set of expectations stacked on top of the ones we already carry. The word “resolution” ends up feeling like a January version of a task list. But that is not what the word means. Not really.
The origin of the word “resolution” is the verb “to resolve.” That word is heavier. It is clearer. It is about finding a firm decision and standing by it. It is about repairing what has come undone, not adding more for the sake of doing more.
“The word “resolution” ends up feeling like a January version of a task list. But that is not what the word means. Not really.”
A true resolution begins with honesty. It comes from the quiet moment when you recognize that something in your life is not working. Maybe it is a behavior that no longer serves you. Maybe it is a fear you are tired of giving power to. Maybe it is a habit that started small but has grown into something that is now costing you peace.
This is not about piling on new goals. It is about removing what is in the way. It is about naming what needs to change and making a quiet, steady commitment to fix it. Not perfectly. Not overnight. But with conviction.
If you want to reflect on the year ahead, consider this:
- What is one pattern that continues to hold you back?
- Where are you compromising your peace just to keep moving?
- What truth have you been avoiding that deserves your attention?
- What would it feel like to finally release it?
- Who would you be without the weight of that burden?
A resolution is not a challenge or a checklist. It is an act of repair. It is the decision to stop ignoring something broken, and to begin, patiently and firmly, to fix it.
Happy New Year, and I wish you best wishes for a warm, productive, satisfying 2026.