Forget Your Resolutions—What To Do Instead

January 17, 2025

Okay, we're half-way through January. How are you doing with your resolutions?

If you are like 75% of the American population, they're probably history by now. This is according to a Columbia University study and that's exactly what I see in my own practice. But don't feel bad about yourself! That's the point of my message to you today.

I stopped doing New Year's resolutions 26 years ago. The day I decided to do that (or not do that), I felt such a huge relief. And believe it or not, that was one of the most amazing and productive years of my life.

Instead, I do something else (more on that below).

I'm advocating that you stop making New Year's Resolutions and give yourself permission to forget about the ones you've made already. Here's 3 reasons why:

1. They don't work - people don't keep them
Studies show that only 8% of Americans have stuck to their New Year's Resolutions by 6 months out. I think it's actually worse than that. My favorite "New Year's Resolutions Don't Work" story is from one of my friends who owned a restaurant in Omaha, where I used to live. They had great food and a fabulous salad bar, and over the years, they discovered that on January 2, people ate twice as much salad, because they were acting on their resolution to eat healthier and lose weight. However, by January 3 it was already back to normal, with people ordering the same amount of cheeseburgers, french fries, etc. as they had before. Their resolve was only good for one day!

2. They're so negative - they make you feel bad about yourself
Even though the resolution can be couched in positive terms, such as, "I resolve to eat healthier" or "I resolve to be more organized," what people are actually doing in these situations is going over the behavior they are telling themselves they shouldn't be doing. "I should stop eating like a pig," "I should stop being a couch potato." Even thinking those things about yourself is negative and counterproductive, and doesn't lead to change.

3. They're too general and not specific enough - they're not juicy
Most people are making vague and general resolutions like, "I'm going to lose weight," "I'm going to get healthier," "I'm going to be less stressed." All of these are too general, not specific, and not measurable. Getting more specific — "I'm going to lose 25 pounds within six months" or "I'm going to practice yoga twice a week" — tells the brain exactly what you want to have happen and it's measurable.

But let's face it. The worst part of most resolutions is they just sound so boring. "I'm going to lose weight” or "I'm not going to spend so much money”... They’re boring, not fun, not juicy. That's why they don't work. There's not enough juice to get you going, to get you excited, to get you to take action.

It’s not because you’re lazy or don’t have any self control, it’s because those goals aren’t coming from the deepest part of you, they don’t have the proper amount of energy behind them and you don’t know what to do when you start to waver and your energy starts to waver.

So here's what I recommend: Set the intention to do something - ONE THING - that's going to trip your trigger, rev you up, and get you excited.

Really spend some time thinking about what is one thing you could do this year that would really make a difference in your life?

That would really make you happy?

That if you did it, you would look back at the end of the year and think, "Wow! Now that was a productive, amazing year."

Really spend some time thinking about what is one thing you could do this year that would really make a difference in your life? That would really make you happy?

The amazing thing is, that if you do something like this, it will make the usual resolutions start to fall into place. For example, let's take something big: If you decide you want to run a marathon this year, you will accomplish the following resolutions (which happen to be the top resolutions people make). You will...

  • Get healthier
  • Stop smoking
  • Drink less
  • Probably lose weight
  • Not feel like a couch potato
  • Feel less stress
  • Probably play fewer video games and watch less TV
  • Spend less time on social media
  • Probably spend less money on things you don't need
  • Probably make new friends

And you would do it (at least most of it) feeling happy, excited, and jazzed, which, of course, is the real reason behind resolutions in the first place — to feel happier at the end of 2025 than you did at the beginning.

2024 was a difficult year for so many people. So, it probably won’t take much to have you feel happier at the end of it, so why not really jump in?

What trips your trigger? What gets you revved up? What gets your juices flowing?

Maybe a better question is: What's holding you back? What's preventing you from having the most amazing, incredible, fantastic year of your life?

For most people, the answers are: time, money, my job, my family, my husband, my wife, my kids...

But WHAT IF you didn't allow for those things to hold you back this year?

The year I stopped making resolutions was 1999, the year I started coming to Sedona and doing sessions with the amazing practitioners here. I started the year unhappy, depressed, overweight, hating my work, stressed out, burned out, and feeling completely stuck. I ended the year so happy I almost couldn't see straight!

Here's my before and after picture. I started 1999 looking like this and coming to Sedona changed everything for me on all the levels - physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.

I started that year thinking and feeling that my life was a total mess. I ended the year feeling so blessed and taken care of. It's amazing what can happen in the space of a few months.

Did last year make you happier? If it didn't, are you going to do something about it for this year? This is the decision that is at the heart of all New Year's resolutions—What can you do to feel happier at the end of this year?

If you want to feel happier at the end of 2025, do what I did and do a Sedona Soul Adventure. The changes and transformations that can happen are almost unbelievable. For instance, I released all the weight in 5 weeks without diet or exercise — I started loving my body and it was amazing what happened.

And the amazing thing is, you won't have to wait all year to feel better. It can happen in 3 or 4 days! And you'll feel better, the whole rest of the year!

Speak with one of our Soul Guides - they'll connect with you (or both of you for a Couples Retreat) and start the process of figuring out what’s holding you back, what’s causing the problems, what’s keeping you from having the life or relationship of your dreams. Then they’ll custom design a retreat that will make this the most amazing year of your life. And remember, there’s no cost or obligation and you can do the retreat either here in-Sedona or At Home.

Call us at (928) 204-5988 or request a call and one of our Soul Guides will call you.

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Janet says, "My Soul Adventure was better than I could have ever imagined it to be...it gave me new life again."

Janet says, "My Soul Adventure was better than I could have ever imagined it to be...it gave me new life again."

So true, everyone benefits with a better you!

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Did you know Sedona Soul Adventures was named
“Best of Sedona” for Retreats for 2020-2024,
“Best Marriage Retreats in the US” 2015-2024 and
one of the "11 Best Couples Retreats Around the World"
by Bride's Magazine in 2022? Plus we were named one of
Global Radiance Review's "20 Most Trustworthy Companies of 2023"
and “Ten Best Companies of the Year for 2024” by CEO Views.

It’s because what we do gets results - call us now, let us help. As I always say, if you knew what could happen, you’d be calling right now.

What area of your life do you need help with most right now…

Your relationship?
Finding your life purpose?
Loss of a loved one?
Healing & pampering?
Or is it something else?

Because we’re here for you - and we’re even open on Sunday!

Remember, there's no cost or obligation to speak with a Soul Guide and have them custom-design the perfect retreat just for you in Sedona or At Home.

Call us at (928) 204-5988 or request a call from one of our Soul Guides and they will call you.

Wishing you a week filled with new beginnings!

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