Another “New Year Resolution”? (Part One)

This is a fair and timely question that returns every year, how can we best research, select and decide on a new year resolution? This choice is often a balance between high-reaching ambition and the reality of daily life. 

This period of the year is still an appropriate time to reflect and set a trajectory for 2026. In practice, our resolutions often fail because they are outcomes based (i.e. "I want to lose 10 pounds") rather than systematic (i.e. "I’ll walk for 20 minutes after dinner"). From what I’ve researched, here is a more structured way to research, choose, and commit to a change that is more likely to actually stick. 

Before looking forward, we should look back. Researching our own behavior teaches us much more than looking at "top 10 resolutions" lists online, but how do we go about it? I know myself pretty well and can spot what needs to be improved in me, so my single, new year resolution is now waiting to be executed. 

That’s not always the case for everyone else. Some say we should begin by going through our 2025 calendar and photos, and from there, try to identify the 20% of activities or people that caused 80% of our peak happiness, and the 20% that caused 80% of your stress. Another way to go about is to check out the "Wheel of Life". 

For those not familiar with the method, it’s a popular self-assessment coaching tool, shaped like a circle divided into segments (like a pie), used to visually evaluate your satisfaction across key life areas (e.g., career, health, relationships, finance) by scoring each on a scale, often 1-10, to reveal imbalances and guide goal setting for greater balance and fulfillment. 

Among other things, it should show where the "flat tires" are in your life. All this might sound complicated so we’ll stop here for today. Tomorrow, we’ll discover more “trick” that might help us make these resolutions easier to set in motion...