Guest Column | New year, flexible goals | A fresh approach to managing resolutions for 2026
New Year’s resolutions reflect our natural desire to grow and improve.
While many people set ambitious goals, progress isn’t always linear, and that’s OK. An all-or-nothing mindset or overly high expectations can make the journey feel harder than it needs to be, especially when life inevitably gets in the way.
Studies show that only 8% of people who make a New Year’s resolution follow through for the entire year, and 80% quit by February. This research suggests that many resolutions evolve or fade over time, but that doesn’t mean they fail.
Every attempt offers insight, motivation and a chance to learn what truly works for us. Even small steps can have a meaningful impact, and flexibility helps protect our mental well-being along the way.
Aiming high inspires us, even though life doesn’t always go as planned. When we treat setbacks with kindness rather than judgment, we protect our mental well-being and keep moving forward.
Tips for creating a thoughtful, flexible New Year’s resolution
• Create a timeline. Your timeline is unique to you; don’t compare it to someone else. Setting small, incremental goals is often more effective than extreme expectations.
• Monitor progress. Enlist an accountability partner or keep a journal to note your progress, feelings, goals and obstacles.
• Offer yourself flexibility. If you miss your target this month, try again next month. A 2021 study by Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer found that self-compassion-kindness during setbacks-reduces stress and builds resilience. Instead of self-criticism after setbacks, practice affirmations or positive self-talk. A simple goal, such as being kinder to yourself, can reduce stress and improve well-being.
• Let go of the “New Year – New You” mindset. Prioritize health over self-punishment. If grace feels difficult or pressure mounts, consider reaching out to a mental health professional for additional tools and strategies.
Using S.M.A.R.T. goals
Studies by the American Psychological Association show people succeed more with realistic, incremental goals. Instead of broad aims like “be happier” or “stress less,” choose specific, small actions that add up over time.
Prioritize goal setting over vague resolutions, especially for mental health. Breaking goals into manageable steps sustains motivation, while broad resolutions can be discouraging and harder to maintain.
Having a plan is essential. A popular tool is S.M.A.R.T. goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-Bound.
• Specific: What do you wish to accomplish? Goals should consider who, what, when, where, how and why
• Measurable: The goal is something that can be monitored for progress. How much? How often? How many? How will I demonstrate that I have accomplished my goal?
• Attainable: The goal cannot be too challenging. Make sure the goal is realistic given your current situation and resources.
• Relevant: Ensure the goal is connected to your overall well-being and supports your values
• Time-bound: Give your goal a deadline. This creates a sense of urgency and helps with accountability.
Positive mental health S.M.A.R.T. goals
Here are some real-world mental health goal examples that check all the S.M.A.R.T. boxes.
Key takeaway: Make goals specific and actionable to improve success rates.
• Practice deep breathing for five minutes every morning for the next 30 days
• Log your mood in a journal or app at least four times a week
• Attend one occupational therapy session every week for the next two months
• Set a phone boundary: No screen time after 8 p.m. for the next 10 days
• Record three things you experienced every night for one month
Resolution alternatives: choosing a ‘Word of the Year’
One alternative to resolutions is choosing a single “Word of the Year.” A word serves as a gentle reminder to create positive change, capturing your hopes, dreams and intentions. To choose your word, reflect on what you want, how you want to feel and your goals. List words that come to mind.
Choose the word that feels most inspiring and has the right energy for you, rather than one you feel you “should” choose. Select a single word that captures your intention, like “adventure,” “renewal” or “simplicity.”
Create a vision board
Use your word as a guiding principle for your decisions throughout the year. Some may choose to go a step further and create a vision board. A vision board is a visual display of what inspires you. You can get out the poster board and flip through magazines, cutting out images that reflect the focus of your word and gluing them onto the board to make a collage.
If you are not an arts-and-crafts, on-paper type of person (though the physical act of cutting and pasting can be a great mindful, slow, digital detox activity), you can also create your vision board using digital images in a tool like Canva.
For ideas:
• If you’re a Pinterest or Instagram user, look at your recent searches and saves (when you weren’t necessarily thinking about goal setting). This can give a clue as to what’s been inspiring you lately.
• What color is prominent in your vision board? Consult a psychology of color guide to explore what it might symbolize. It explains the meanings of colors and why we’re drawn to specific shades over others. This may give you a few ideas for your guiding word of the year.
Once you’ve selected your word, make it have a full impact
• Display your word (and your vision board, if you make one) as a daily reminder
• Find some quotes around your word for inspiration
• Set a reminder on your phone at regular intervals to check in with your word of the year and see if it still resonates with you. If not, on to the next one!
Choose the approach that best supports your well-being: resolution, structured goals, a guiding word, or opting out entirely.
The proper method can help you achieve lasting positive change in 2026.
Dr. Sandra Mills is director of Behavioral Health for Lee Health.