Every time a new year rolls around on the Gregorian calendar, we all get that same feeling of a clean slate and the chance to start over, “but this time good,” as David Lynch said. And I get it. I feel it too.

Still, what I’ve realized over the last few years is that the pressure we put on ourselves at the beginning of each year is more than a little unhealthy. We want to organize our finances, pay off debts, go to the gym every day, eat healthier, and perhaps establish a routine with that hobby we’ve had our eye on for years.

“This year for sure,” we tell ourselves. And although I always admire and applaud optimism, especially in a world like the one we live in today, I think that, at least for my part, I’m going to sit resolutions out this year.

Resolutions are expectations on steroids

In fact, what my plan is, and what I suggest to those who feel the same way, is this: This year, my resolution is to have no resolutions. Resolutions end up being expectations on steroids (which is why so many people give up on them on the first Friday of the year), and after 2025, who wants to have expectations?

To be clear, I’m not against growth. I’m against the version of growth that starts with a checklist and ends with shame.

One week in, and we’re already going nuts

Here’s an example: we weren’t even three days into the year, and the United States had already captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, throwing decades of delicate international diplomacy down the drain and putting global rules at stake. That’s a series I don’t want to binge-watch.

So why not do the same and throw the rules out the window? Live each day as a clean slate, stay aware that what we know today may not be true tomorrow, and believe, once and for all, that the trends that govern our lives are not algorithmic, but decisions made every morning, every hour, every second.

Resolutions that can stick

That said, if you’re craving something steadier than vibes, I get that too. The trick is choosing changes that don’t turn into a punishment.

Planning your finances is key. You can’t have a peaceful, free life without a financial cushion to get you through. So maybe pausing in the morning when you crave that iced coffee and thinking “I can make it at home” is a better option than spending $10 every day.

Similarly, dressing for yourself, not for the gaze of others, is a good idea. You do it every day, and you remind yourself in the mirror that, in the end, what matters is that you feel comfortable. Not what others say.

And then there’s this one: Put down the damn phone (maybe after reading this). And don’t just go out to touch grass. Find your favorite person without using Waze, go to a café with few reviews, or one that doesn’t appear on TikTok, and remember how nice it is to explore life the old-fashioned way.

If you need a reset, make it smaller

When the snow falls, stop like a child to admire and get excited about the snowflakes. When it’s really hot, put on sunscreen and go outside to load your skin with vitamin D. Learn the names of flowers in spring, but without asking ChatGPT. Find a botany book (preferably a used one) and lose yourself in a rabbit hole for a while.

Finally, don’t listen to me. Turn off your social media and listen to what your body has been asking you for years. Noise makes us lose confidence in our hearts and in what we know we need from our ancestors.

And this year, today more than ever, we need clearer hearts than likes on Instagram posts.

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