From Reflection to Action: My take on New Year's Resolutions

It’s almost resolution season. Does that idea excite or repel you? 

My lived and observed experience of New Year's resolutions is that the juice usually isn’t worth the squeeze for most of us. The intention and drive might be there to change initially, but many of us go too big too fast and burn out before we really develop any meaningful habits of change.

I’m all for personal growth and evolution. Experience and training have shown me a different approach that I, and many of my clients, have found successful. You can employ this on the 1st of January or the 15th of August and any time in between. I personally love this quick exercise in the final days leading up to the new year. 

My method for approaching change and the new year:

1. At the end of every year, I like to give myself a little “review”. 

2. Choose what to add more of in 2026 and what to subtract

3. Set a specific goal and build small, consecutive, actionable steps to support step #2

4. Review and revise after 90 days (or in yoga teacher speak: at the Spring Equinox)

I invite you to give it a try. Here are a few of my personal reflections from 2025.

1. Review

Hindsightedly, 2025 was all about gaining clarity for me. I followed the usual recommendations for achieving clarity: journaling, meditation, list-making, market research, and some good old-fashioned daydreaming and soul-searching. But the most important learnings came from what I actually chose to do, or not do. Actually seeing the results of my choices, including my feelings about them. Yes, feelings. I’m a firm believer in doing your homework while also trusting your inner compass. 

I’ve spent this last quarter getting really honest about which choices worked out and felt good, and which ones are really just me shooting myself in the foot. The review has been insightful and also humbling. I’ve had some incredible wins, and I acknowledge I have some deeply ingrained habits I am starting to shift. 

Here are 3 of mine:

1. I became a certified Brain Longevity Specialist through Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation. I took the training because it was very interesting to me, and I figured it would be a value-add for my clients. Turns out, people are intrigued by this certification. It has proven to be a differentiator and helps me stand out at networking events and meetings with potential clients. Plus, I can now confidently support others in maintaining and enhancing their brain health and preventing dementia-related illnesses. Big WIN! (Want to learn more about working with me re: brain longevity - amy@myaspirezen.com.)

2. I spent most of 2025 interacting and working with people in-person vs online. Not just meeting people, but being intentional about getting to know them and forming a more authentic connection. I hosted in-person workshops and experimented with different types of networking opportunities. I also practiced something that has made me nervous for decades: Asking for the Dance. I learned this phrase, another lifetime ago, in sales training. It simply means inviting people. Inviting them to connect, attend, give feedback, etc. This method has yielded results for driving my business forward and also simply feels most aligned with how I operate. I will still maintain my current online presence and offerings, but now I also know that in-person is one of my strengths, and I am ready to do more of that in the coming year.

3. I enjoy trying new things, and I love supporting those I care about—two great personality traits, except when I allow them to detract from my needs and my goals. 

In 2025, I found myself saying “yes” to several rewarding opportunities that brought me a lot of joy, and a little money too. I told myself they could help grow my business and/or that I had enough bandwidth to do all the things. 

The truth? They helped me build and deepen some key relationships with others in my industry. We will call that a win, and I will be doing way more of that in 2026! In the short term, though, they didn’t do much to help move my business forward. And I didn’t have the bandwidth. I often found myself too physically and emotionally spent to do my work. I witnessed myself getting frustrated and sometimes resentful. I also allowed myself to lose a lot of my personal workout and yoga practice time, which added to the spiral of exhaustion.

When I got really honest with myself, I realized my tendency to put others’ priorities first is also a defense mechanism. If I’m too busy to do my work, then I never have to worry about succeeding or failing - two giant fears of mine. One other giant fear, being rejected. Saying no might make them not like me or want to do business with me (yes, I realize how asinine this sounds, but I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling this way).

These fears and habits aren’t new. I’ve been addressing them for years and making a lot of progress. This is how these themes showed up for me in 2025, though. And that is great insight, because it shows me how to focus to make progress.

2. +/- for 2026

What I’m adding:

• Hosting/Co-hosting Events (especially in-person)

• Networking (especially in-person)

• Leading with brain longevity

• Prioritizing my personal health and yoga/meditation practice

Where I’m subtracting:

• Stop saying yes to long projects that detract from either my business or personal goals

• Not putting myself out there because I fear success/failure

• Trying to do it all myself

3. Attach Goals

Begin by setting a goal around your adds and subtracts. I like the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely), but there are other great methods out there. Then add one small step you can take toward that goal starting today (or January 1st). 

For my event's goal, I intend to host 1 event per month during the first quarter of 2026

• Specific: I will host one wellness event each month focused on stress management, yoga, journaling, Ayurveda, or brain longevity.

• Measurable: A total of three events will be completed—one in January, one in February, and one in March 2026.

• Achievable: I will use my existing workshop content, outreach templates, and marketing channels (email, social media, yoga community, networking contacts, corporate contacts) to promote and deliver each event.

• Relevant: These events support my business growth, deepen community engagement, and align with my mission to help professionals reduce stress and build sustainable wellness habits.

• Time‑Bound: All three events will be scheduled, promoted, and delivered between January 1 and March 31, 2026.

4. Review and revise

Stay tuned, that part will happen at the Equinox 😉 Truly though, you might find opportunities where revising your plans makes sense long before that 90-day mark. My advice is to keep those tweaks small and not completely scrap any plan until you’ve tried it on for those 90 days.

That’s all for now, folks. I hope 2026 brings you joy, abundance, success, and anything else your heart desires. Happy New Year!!