Why I Don’t Make New Year’s Resolutions (And How I Handle Goal Setting Instead)

I’m the type of person who thrives on organization, planning, and goal setting. Over the years, I’ve devoured books and articles on time management, organization, planning and goals. It’s just how my brain works—it brings me peace and helps me feel grounded. And yet, I don’t make traditional New Year’s resolutions. Here’s why.

Reasons I Don’t Make New Year’s Resolutions When Setting Goals

1. My Family Traditions Come First Every New Year’s Eve, my family stays up late, dancing, laughing, eating banana splits, and sipping sparkling cider. It’s a treasured tradition for us. Because of that, January 1 usually starts a little slower—I’m not exactly at my best after the late-night festivities! If I had a strict New Year's Resolution waiting for me that morning, I’d feel like I was already failing. I’m not willing to sacrifice special family memories just to conform to an arbitrary rule about New Year’s resolutions.

   
   

2. A Year Is a Long Time (and Life Happens) We have no idea what the coming year might bring—injury, illness, an unexpected move, a new job. Life can change in ways we never see coming, and I don’t want to feel like I’ve failed because I couldn’t stick to a goal that no longer makes sense. I’ve learned the hard way that flexibility is vital.

   
   

3. My Goals Evolve Over Time What matters to me in January may be totally different by July. As I grow, learn, and adapt, my priorities and values can shift. Tying myself to goals that no longer fit who I am feels counterproductive. I’d much rather give myself permission to tweak or replace my goals mid-year than be stuck with something that no longer resonates.

How I Handle Goal Setting Instead

Despite my reluctance to create set-in-stone New Year's Resolutions, I still love structure and planning, and goal setting is basically my life. Here’s how I keep growing and improving without trapping myself in the “January 1 to December 31” box.

1. List Out My Roles and Vocations I think of the main areas of my life: Christian, wife, mom, homeschool teacher, homeschool group administrator, business owner, herbalist, hobby farmer, gardener—you name it. Don’t forget “human” as an essential role! You might label your categories as simply “Home, Work, Kids, Hobbies, Self” or whatever makes sense for you. The idea is to see a big-picture view of all the hats you wear.

   
   

2. Evaluate How Things Are Going I’ll ask myself questions like: Am I reading my Bible every day? How is homeschooling my kids going? Do my husband and I need more date nights? Is there a farm project that needs tackling? Do I want to launch a YouTube channel this year? When did I last make time for a favorite hobby? I keep these questions broad and exploratory, looking for areas I want to improve or nurture.

   
   

3. Recognize Shifting Priorities Life is fluid, and at any moment a different area might take center stage. Some seasons, it’s helping a child through senior year. Other times, I need to focus on my own health or pick up extra tasks if my husband is injured. Maybe I know ahead of time we'll have a big project coming up in the spring, so it doesn't make sense to plan to have a lot of other things going on then.“Balance” is a myth—I can’t do everything equally well all at once, and that’s okay.

   
   

4. Set Monthly or Quarterly Goals Instead of boxing myself in for an entire year, I look at smaller chunks of time. If I want to start a YouTube channel, for example, I might say:

   • January–February: Research equipment and create a content outline.

   • March: Record and upload my first two videos.

   • April: Evaluate what worked, make improvements, and continue.

Breaking goals into monthly or quarterly steps keeps them flexible but still

structured enough to feel tangible.

5. Start With One Big Change at a Time I’ve learned not to overwhelm myself with 20 new tasks at once. If I decide to focus on launching YouTube, that might mean other ambitions—like reorganizing every closet in the house—wait until next season. It’s not that I’m ignoring them; I’m just choosing priorities intentionally instead of trying to do it all right now. THIS has been the secret to peace for me.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to New Year's Resolutions and goal setting, I've let myself off the hook. By avoiding rigid resolutions, I give myself the freedom to shift and pivot as life does. At the same time, I stay organized and purposeful by focusing on my roles, setting shorter-term goals, and acknowledging where I’m needed most in each season. For me, it’s a far more fulfilling approach than trying to follow “rules” on January 1 that might not serve me by the time February rolls around.

If you’ve ever felt like you “failed” at your resolutions—or if life threw you a curveball just as you were getting started—know that you’re not alone. You have permission to change your mind and adapt your goals anytime you need to. In my experience, it’s the best way to keep growing all year long.