New Year, New Goals
Ah, January. That magical time when gym parking lots fill up, planners are opened with ceremonial reverence, and kale makes its annual, overly ambitious comeback. As we step into 2026, many of us feel the familiar tug to “do better,” “be better,” or “finally get organized enough to remember where we put our glasses.”
Goal setting can feel overwhelming, especially after a holiday season where you may have been running on shortbread and adrenaline. But here’s the good news: new goals doesn’t have to be stressful. In fact, it can be grounding, clarifying, and dare I say… enjoyable.
Why Goals Matter (And Why They Don’t Have to Be Huge)
Goals give the brain direction. Without them, we drift. With too many of them, we panic. Balanced, intentional goal setting helps us focus attention, monitor progress, and experience a real sense of accomplishment, something that’s especially helpful in a post-holiday lull when even putting away the decorations can feel like running a marathon in emotional snowshoes.
You can break goals down into manageable steps and catch the unhelpful thoughts that tell us things like “You’re already behind” or “If it’s not perfect, it’s pointless.” Spoiler: those thoughts are lying to you.
Reminder, you already have resilience, creativity, humour, problem-solving skills, and lived experience. New goals aren’t about building yourself from scratch, they’re about expanding what’s already working.
As author James Clear writes, “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” And systems we can build, one realistic step at a time.
Reflection: What Do You Actually Want This Year?
Most people set goals based on what they think they should want. Not helpful.
Your reflection task: slow down and ask yourself what genuinely matters to you as you enter 2026.
Try journaling on these prompts:
What energized me last year?
What drained me?
What goals am I choosing because they align with my values—not someone else’s expectations?
What would “enough” look like this year?
I encourage you to identify automatic “should-based” thinking, and challenge it.
For example:
“I should be more productive.”
→ Reframe: “I want to feel more balanced and purposeful. Productivity is just one possible part of that.”“I should lose weight.”
→ Reframe: “I want to support my body and energy in a healthy, sustainable way.”“I should have my entire life figured out.”
→ Reframe: “No one does. My goal is to take the next best step.”
Reflection helps you make goals grounded in values, not pressure.
As Carl Jung said, “Your vision will become clear only when you look into your own heart.”
Reasonableness: Make Your Goals Human-Sized
Reasonableness is highly underrated in the goal-setting world. The idea that we should transform our entire lives in the first week of January is, frankly, both unreasonable and rude.
Your goals should be:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-limited
But I’d like to add one more:
Realistic for an actual human.
This means:
If you haven’t exercised in years, you do not need a 6-day-a-week gym plan.
If mornings make you feel like you’re waking up in a foreign country without a map, you do not need a 5 a.m. wake-up goal.
If your life is full, your goals have to fit, not bulldoze your daily reality.
To start notice what you’re already doing well, and build from there. You don’t need to reinvent yourself. You need to adjust yourself.
Author Anne Lamott reminds us:
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”
Reasonableness honours your energy, your limitations, and your humanity. It also significantly increases your chances of success.
Self-Compassion: You Deserve to Try Without Punishment
Let’s talk about the voice in your head that says things like:
“You failed last year.”
“You don’t stick to anything.”
“Why bother?”
That voice is not a motivational speaker, it’s an inner critic dressed up as a personal trainer.
Self-compassion is the antidote.
Psychologist Kristin Neff defines self-compassion as treating yourself with the same kindness you would offer to someone you care about. It means acknowledging imperfections without weaponizing them against yourself.
When you slip on a goal (and you will, because you are alive), try this:
Notice the self-judgment.
Name the feeling (disappointment, frustration, discouragement).
Normalize the human experience:
“Everyone struggles with consistency. This is not a personal failure.”Choose the next small step.
You cannot shame yourself into growth. But you can support yourself into it.
As the poet Cleo Wade wrote, “Be good to yourself; you are doing the best you can.”
A Simple Structure for 2026 Goal Setting
Try this gentle, structured approach:
Choose 2–3 core values you want to honour this year (e.g., connection, health, creativity).
Create 1–2 goals under each value, keeping them realistic and measurable.
Identify strengths you already have that will support the goal.
Plan for obstacles (because life will life).
Set up a monthly check-in, not a daily audit.
Celebrate progress, not perfection.
Your 2026 goals are not a contract you must obey—they’re a compass. You adjust as you go.
As we step into 2026, remember that goal setting is not about becoming a brand-new person, it’s about becoming a more supported, grounded, and intentional version of yourself. With reflection, reasonable expectations, and an attitude of self-compassion, you can create goals that actually work in the real world, not just in your imagination. You don’t need to chase a “better” you. You simply need to honour the person you already are, resourceful, resilient, capable, and very much worthy of a year that feels good.
