A Few Thoughts on New Year's Discouragement

I thought 2025 was going to be my year. I thought I was going to reach the best version of myself where I would be physically fit, thriving financially, goal-focused, and conquering my biggest fears.

But that didn’t exactly happen.

As I’ve thought about the coming new year, hope has risen: Maybe 2026 will be different. Maybe by the end of next year, I’ll have the life that I’ve always dreamed of living. But those hopes are often shadowed by feelings of shame because I know how easy it is for me to become distracted from the things that truly matter, from the things that will help me grow.

If you’ve felt that “Week Two” discouragement when resolutions fall apart, you’re not alone. That’s why I want to share a couple things I’ve been thinking about this week. They’ve been an encouragement to me, and maybe they will be to you too.

The first thing I’ve been thinking about is how we can plan and execute, but a “perfect life” doesn’t happen in a year. I don’t think God created us to be perfect on our own. Otherwise, we would rely on ourselves rather than on Him. This can take off some of the pressure we put on ourselves by thinking that if we do make a mistake (especially in the first couple weeks of the year) the whole entire year is a failure.

Second, I’ve realized that resolutions work better in small, actionable steps. Instead of saying “I’m going to exercise every day”, (which I failed at this year!) we can plan to exercise for 15 minutes three times a week and then schedule those times into our calendar. (To help you brainstorm these small steps, I’ve put together a Quick Win Menu you can download here!)

As I write this post, Matthew 26:41 has been in the back of my mind, which says,

“Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak.”

Jesus said these words after He had asked His disciples to keep watch and then later found them sleeping. It applies to our goals too. We want to choose what is good, but our human nature becomes distracted so easily. I usually only pray for strength after I’ve failed. I wonder how things might change if I start praying for God to help me stay alert to what might be distracting me and give me strength to choose Him and the things He is calling me to do.

Reminding myself that I belong to God, no matter the mistakes I make, motivates me to serve Him and others, instead of focusing on my failures. Free Resource: The Quick Win Menu To help us stay alert and intentional, I’ve created a printable PDF and a phone wallpaper version of my 'Quick Win Menu.' You can grab them both right here: [Quick Win Menu PDF] | [Quick Win Menu Phone Wallpaper]

What helps you stay consistent with your New Year's Resolutions? What are some of your hopes and goals for 2026?