New Year’s resolutions are popular for good reason. As mentioned in my previous post about the social science of timing and how to make it work in your favor, there is a lot of momentum around new beginnings (like years or even Mondays) in the sense that it is cognitively easier to hold tight to goals while harnessing them.
If you have yet to decide on a 2025 resolution and are seeking some inspiration, I recommend Zoey Xinyi Gong’s free TCM New Year’s Resolution Planner available for download on her website. I like that her method also harnesses the powers of the beginning of each week and can be completed as needed and posted somewhere prominent like your refrigerator. I often use a similar approach with patients looking to make healthier lifestyle choices. I like to use monthly or seasonal planning because this length of time is more conducive to getting comfortable with new foods or habits. If it is a broader change you are aiming for like “cook more of a variety of healthy foods at home,” this is broad enough to build into a few year’s resolution. For instance, one month you could focus on finding new grocery items, one month on exploring seasonings and flavors, one month on trying out different food preparation techniques, one month on exploring time-saving food prep options, etc.
If you’re still not quite sure which direction to take to support your health in 2025, schedule an in-person or telehealth appointment to discuss methods for achieving your goals.
