Taking Charge of Your Health: A New Year, A New Path to Wellness
Imagine this scenario: It's Monday, January 6th. The holiday cheer has quieted, the decorations are put away (maybe), and the kids are back in school. Everywhere you look, it's "New Year, New You" messaging: inspirational resolution-setting posts on social media, emails promoting the latest healthy products, and endless podcasts on how to become your very best self for 2025.
Familiar, right?
Whether the start of a new year fills you with hope and motivation for your goals, or resistance and dread from past stalled attempts, there's a smarter way to approach sustainable change.
And here's the spoiler: it has nothing to do with the latest superfood.
It's based on something far more powerful: your mindset.
Here are 5 steps to ensure this is the year you finally make lasting change. This framework isn't just for New Year's resolutions—it's a strategy for achieving any goals in health, life, and beyond.
Step 1: What Are Your Intentions?
The first step to making sustainable change is getting crystal clear on your personal intentions. When these intentions align with your personal why and pair with a smart plan, they lead to behavior changes. These behaviors, done consistently over time, get you to your goals.
To find clarity around your own intentions, tune out what the media says is important. What change is calling to you from within? Not what your friends are doing, not some 30-day challenge you saw online—what is your intuition saying is right for you? Follow that.
You may be asking yourself "How do I access my own intuition?"
The answer is simple: make space for stillness.
This might mean journaling, walking outside without headphones, taking a few deep breaths, meditating, practicing yoga, or simply allowing yourself to "just be." Giving ourselves permission to be present with our thoughts and daydreams helps us access our intuition and clarify what we truly want from the new year. Plus, it's a proven stress reliever!
Step 2: Find Your Why
Now that you know what you want to change or do, ask yourself why it matters.
Why is this change important to you? If your answer is another goal, keep asking why. Continue until you find the most honest and true answer for you. Write this down and keep it visible—this is what you'll reference when life gets crazy, when the newness wears off, or when you just don't feel like doing the work. This internal motivation will help you stay consistent, even when it's hard.
Step 3: Get Planning
Planning is essential to this process. It's not enough to just want something (the what and why). Planning the execution helps you follow through (the how and when). This step is crucial for maintaining long-term consistency.
As James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, recently wrote in his 3-2-1 newsletter, "When dreaming, imagine success. When preparing, imagine failure."
One useful strategy is thinking through the WOOP framework. Consider each question and write down your answers.
Wish - What do you want to change or implement in 2025?
Outcome - What's your ideal end state? How do you want to feel? What does your daily life look like? Visualize even the smallest details.
Obstacles - What barriers will you face? What has historically prevented you from achieving this outcome? List them all.
Planning - Reflecting on this, what do you need to do to start moving forward? Here are some steps to building a plan:
Break Lofty Goals Into Mini Goals - Break your goals down into smaller sub-goals. Start small and celebrate small wins.
Use If/Then Planning - Using your list of obstacles, think through each one and how to minimize their interference with your goals. Plan what you'll do in the moment and afterward if they occur. IF ABC happens, THEN I will do XYZ.
Factor In Accountability - Consider how you like to stay accountable. This could mean blocking your calendar and using reminders, recruiting a friend to share challenges and wins, or rewarding yourself with something like a massage for consistency. Find what works for you and include it in your plan.
Step 4: Strive for Imperfect Consistency
When starting a new goal, especially after the new year, it's tempting to aim for perfection. However, this is unrealistic—life will continue to present obstacles and challenges, no matter how solid your plan.
Don't let this lead to frustration and abandoned goals!
Instead, aim for "imperfect consistency." This means maintaining some level of consistency, even if it's not what you originally planned. This is where if/then planning comes in. For example, IF you planned to meet your trainer twice weekly at the gym, but a last-minute work trip comes up, THEN you'll do bodyweight squats, lunges, push-ups, and tricep dips in your hotel room. While it's not your usual workout, it maintains consistency, albeit imperfectly.
If you consistently struggle to stay on track, this isn't failure—it's useful information for refining your plan.
Are your goals too lofty or vague? Consider breaking them into smaller sub-goals. Did you miss some potential obstacles? Revisit the steps above and adjust accordingly. Planning, patience, and consistency are key ingredients for long-term success.
Step 5: Check Your Mindset
Though mindset is listed as step 5, don't be fooled. The lens through which we view ourselves and the world can be our biggest advantage or greatest downfall. It's foundational to long-term success. Here are key points to remember:
Prioritize Your Future Self - What will your reality be in 6 months, 1 year, 5 years if you make these changes? What if you don't?
Change Your Identity - Ask yourself who you're trying to become. Act like that person now in ways both big and small.
Expect Discomfort - We naturally default to what's easy and comfortable, so expect discomfort. Remember that you're creating new neural pathways with each small step—it will get easier. Being comfortable with discomfort is a superpower.
Make The Next Right Choice - Show yourself grace if you fall back into old habits. Change isn't linear. View each setback as a learning opportunity, then make the next right choice for you.
Don't Attach Your Worth to an Outcome - Remember: you are inherently worthy right now, as you are, even as you strive for change. Don't let your worth or happiness depend on a goal. Instead, focus on finding a lifestyle you enjoy and can maintain long-term. Progress builds self-confidence—a positive feeling that lasts.
While working through these steps may seem demanding, as a health and wellness coach, I can tell you: this intentionality separates those who progress toward their goals from those who don't. Because we're working toward long-term, sustainable change that becomes a new identity and lifestyle, it's important not to rush the process. As author and performance coach Brendon Burchard says:
First it's an intention
Then it's a behavior
Then a habit
Then a practice
Then a second nature
Then it is simply who you are
You've got this!
This blog and website do not provide medical advice. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and should not be relied on to make decisions about your health. Always check with your own healthcare provider before taking a new supplement and before making any significant diet, lifestyle, exercise or other changes. Never ignore professional medical advice in seeking treatment because of something you have read on this site. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your doctor or dial 911.
