As we head into the new year, 2020 seems bright with possibility. Resolutions fuel everyone for the next few weeks and the feeling of newness and fresh starts fills the mind. I love New Year’s. It’s a close second for my favorite holiday (after Halloween, of course). As I watch my timelines fill with resolutions, goals, and plans for the new year I am pumped to get my new plans and goals started. The new year motivates me to put all my plans into effect.

Some may not be so excited because their resolutions fall short early in the year, or they feel burnt out because they never follow through on their resolutions. To those people, I say, “no resolution, no problem.” Yes, that is what the new year seems to be centered around, but goals are for everyday use. If you set a resolution and find yourself not seeing it through, set another one. Set smaller goals that you can accomplish and keep moving forward. There is no need to beat yourself up over lost resolutions.

Since you care enough about your new self in the new year to get down on not completing resolutions, it is clear that goals and being better are a part of who you are, so keep that in the back of your mind as you move forward. You do not need resolutions to carry you through the year. I set goals daily and try to see them through. What I have done in the past is tear myself down for not reaching specific goals. What I am learning is that resetting goals is okay. Not completing something is okay too; you just keep going or re-evaluate what you want and need out of that goal. If it is something you can break down into smaller, more obtainable pieces, then do that.

You are human. You are not perfect, but you are really close to it. Life happens. You are complex and have many things going on in your life and mind. Be gentle with yourself in the new year. Cut yourself some slack and don’t go into the new year focused on resolutions; instead, focus on being a better version of yourself because that is the true meaning of the new year. In reality, every day is a new start and a new beginning to be better than you were the day or year before.

If you find that you need help to focus on goals, try the One Word Challenge, and choose a word to move around in the new year. I decided on Deliver for my word and I will set goals and move intentionally daily to deliver the best version of myself and my work. Moving into the new year, don’t focus on the resolution. Focus on who you are and how you get stuff done no matter what resolutions you set for yourself. Remember, “no resolution, no problem.”