Reality Check

Reflect and look forward — it’s one of my favorite traditions at the start of a new year. On Jan. 1, once the holiday decor is all packed away, and before the regular routine of life resumes, I reflect on the intentions I set for the previous year. Then, I document new ones for the year ahead.

Recently, I’ve followed the lead of best-selling author and podcaster Gretchen Rubin, creating “22 for 2022” and “23 for 2023” lists.

That might seem like a lot to take on in any given year, but as Rubin explains: “These items can be easy or ambitious; one-time undertakings or habits that stretch for years; fun or . . . less fun. There’s no one way to make your list — just think about what you want the new year to hold.”

My lists feature a mix of personal and professional goals, some large, some small, some practical, some aspirational. Last year, for instance, they included taking daily walks, researching the steps for writing a children’s book, and training for a fitness competition or event.

I’m always interested to see what I’ve completed and what remains outstanding. It leads me down a path of wondering: Why did I accomplish some things but not others? Did my interests change? Was a goal too vague or too big? Did something shift and pull my attention in a different direction? Is the goal something I’d still like to accomplish?

With those insights in mind, I then start to look forward: What do I want to build or expand on from previous years? What do I want to do more of? What do I want to try? Where do I want to travel? How do I want to feel? How do I want to spend my time?

“There are usually small actions or steps I can take over time that move me closer to where I’m aiming to go. This motivates me to keep going.”

I then draft the new year’s list, first carrying over any of the goals that still resonate with me and adding on from there. The key, as Rubin advises and I’ve come to appreciate, is finding a balance of ambitions.

If every goal or habit is big, it can be hard to make meaningful progress on any of them: Where do I start? Where do I put my focus?

But with a variety of goals, there are usually small actions or steps I can take over time that move me closer to where I’m aiming to go. This motivates me to keep going. And once I reach a goal, however big or small, I have the confidence and the experience to know that I can probably achieve another one (or maybe several more), too.

None of this is groundbreaking, but I share it as an alternative to the all-or-nothing resolutions and calls for change that often dominate headlines and conversations this time of year. I share it because real progress and change happens when goals are intentional, actionable, realistic, and sustainable.

So as we start 2024, I encourage you to find a balanced approach — one that honors how far you’ve come and inspires you to pursue whatever’s next.

A quick note: We hope you love the new look and feel that we debuted with the January/February 2024 issue of  Experience Life! This redesign is a visual evolution of our ongoing editorial commitment to support your health and wellness endeavors. A huge thank you to our amazing creative team for bringing it to life.