Was January A Good Year For You?
Did the clock striking midnight really change your life?
Or are those new year resolutions collecting dust? Again?
Ah January . . . the relentless onslaught of reasons and reminders to be a new you, to find new ways of being and doing which will turn you into the person you think you have always wanted to be was everywhere wasn’ t it. One can’t be blamed for the infectious nature and dare I say it foolhardiness of rushing into change on a whim.
But rush in we do.
Yes the lightness and potential of a new year with fresh zingy energy and a squeaky clean slate is compelling I admit. So how’s that working for you right now? Sometimes this gusto is misguided and serves as nothing but to set you up for failure before you’ve even say goodbye to the first week in January.
So before we go any further answer these three questions honestly:
Did you get swept up in the newness of the new year and forget that you were still exhausted from the previous year whilst still trying to recover from the Christmas madness, socialising, those pesky relatives and a month of school holidays?
Have you put any deep thought towards what you really want for yourself? Or did you claim your resolutions in a panic?
Perhaps you fell in love with the idea of a possibility out there in your future without a framework to support your new resolution when things get a bit tough?
Did I hit a nerve? Soz not soz.
The Truth About Change
Setting a “goal” is often seen as the starting point of transformation. But in reality, it’s the mid point. Before we can set clear, aligned goals, we need to pause, reflect, and do the inner work to uncover what we truly want—and why we haven’t yet achieved it.
Truth is we rush into change.
So, instead of rushing into resolutions, consider this:
What do you really want and why is that important to you?
Have you deeply considered what matters to you in your life right now not hangovers from the past?
Are your unconscious beliefs and blind spots quietly sabotaging your efforts?
"Often, we don’t realise that our competing beliefs are creating friction on the inside. One part of us is wanting this change but another is resisting that same change because it means something else has to shift to accommodate it. This is what subconsciously keeps us stuck. Before we act, we must understand these inner conflicts."
Real change doesn’t happen because the calendar flipped to January. It happens when you take the time to understand yourself—your motivations, your fears, your patterns. Only then can you set resolutions that truly reflect who you want to be and how you choose to show up in the world.
A New Approach: The Foundation of Change
Did you know every single day has a midnight? That’s 365 midnights a year give or take. Imagine taking a little time not to set resolutions or goals - but to pause, reflect, and prepare the soil for real transformation.
Here’s what I suggest:
Pause and Reflect:
Create space to tune into your inner world. Ask yourself, What do I truly value right now?Uncover Your Patterns:
Recognise where you might be stuck or self-sabotaging. This is where the real work begins—discovering the beliefs and blind spots that hold you back. We often can’t see these for ourselves, but ask a friend or family member to offer objectivity.Build a Framework for Support:
Change requires scaffolding. What tools, practices, or relationships can help you stay grounded when challenges arise?Set Intentions before Goals:
Once you have clarity, focus on small, meaningful actions aligned with your values. Goals will come naturally as a byproduct of this process.
When you approach change this way, it’s no longer about forcing yourself into action. It’s about aligning your energy and intention with what truly matters.
If you have this new year stuff down to a fine art then I sincerely congratulate you and I would love to hear your approach because I suspect there was an approach and it was a considered approach with contingencies and a framework to support it.
“Awareness in and of itself is curative.”
If on the other hand you are unsteady in your resolutions and “shoulding all over yourself” archive those redundant resolutions and do yourself a favour - move on set yourself free.
It doesn’t mean you failed it means either you just weren’t ready because real change takes time or it didn’t mean enough to you in the first place to go all in.
Next steps . . .
Many people ask me about my goals and my goal setting process. They are often suprised when I say I don’t use them. I have “tried on” many goal setting strategies over the years exploring the “art of moving forward”. I choose not to use the word goal. It doesn’t truly encapsulate what is earnestly required for lasting change. It’s useful but partial. I set intentions not goals. I use goals as a testing mechanism nothing more. I am not tethered to the success or failure of a goal, I am in process constantly paying attention and adapting. Two very different experiences I think you will agree.
There are many goal setting systems from SMART, WFO, GROW, OKR’s, WOOP, 10x the list goes on and on. Some work for some others work for others. They can be contextually dependent such as work goals or performance coaching. But my question to you is if you do not have dominion over your intention, attention and energy . . . who’s goals are you choosing?
Go - Out - And - Live
This is my definition of goal. Because here’s the thing: The moment you take the first step, things will shift for you. Just like a turn of the Kaleidoscope. You’ll learn, adapt, and refine your path. Stay awake to this.
Start this process on any day you feel ready. Anytime as many times as you like. Have fun with it and above all be compassionate with yourself. It’s a process and you are unfolding into the unfolding as it unfolds.
Once you’ve reflected and set an intention, take it into your life. Test it. GOAL It. Go out and live it. See how it feels.
Don’t rush. Reflect. Act. Adapt. And most importantly, keep going. Change doesn’t come from perfection; it comes from persistence.
“This moment is wide open. The world itself is wide open and no-one knows how good life can be because in this moment their is always an opportunity to stop looking over your own shoulder.” Sam Harris.
Want to Dive Deeper?
I’ve created a FREE workbook for you, "Beyond Goals - A Workbook for Lasting Change" to guide you through this reflective process. It is everything you need. Return to it whenever your need, its yours to download.
Designed to help you uncover what you truly want, identify what holds you back, and build a framework for meaningful action.
2025
.
Remember, this is only the beginning. Your future is waiting patiently for you x