Beginning the new year with intention, not resolution

As a new year begins, many of us feel an almost automatic pull toward resolutions, those well-intended statements about what we should fix, improve, or finally get right. Often by becoming a more optimized version of ourselves by February.

Resolutions tend to rely on pressure. They assume that if we just tried harder, pushed more, or held ourselves to a higher standard, change would follow. And sometimes it does, but just for a while.

Intentions offer a different doorway. Rather than asking What should I do better? they ask What is asking for my care right now? Intentions are less about self-control and more about self-listening. Less about force and more about alignment.

Research supports this gentler approach. Studies in self-determination theory suggest that change is more sustainable when it grows from intrinsic motivation; our values, sense of meaning, and inner knowing, rather than external expectations. Research on self-compassion similarly shows that people are more resilient and persistent when they approach growth with kindness instead of self-criticism. In other words, the inner drill sergeant is not actually our best coach.

Journaling can help us access this deeper wisdom. Not as a performance or a place to write the “right” answers, but as a conversation with the part of us that already knows.

Here are four prompts I'm using with the hopes of starting 2026 with more intention.  Maybe you'd find them helpful as well...

1. What part of me has been quietly asking for attention?

This question invites us to listen inward rather than scan outward. Often, our most meaningful intentions do not come from ambition, but from unmet needs like rest, creativity, truth, or ease.

Mindfulness research suggests that simply naming internal experiences increases clarity and emotional regulation. Paying attention to what has been whispering beneath the surface can gently change how we relate to ourselves.

Try writing without editing. Let yourself be surprised by what shows up.

2. When do I feel most like myself?

Instead of focusing on what you want to achieve this year, reflect on moments when you feel grounded, alive, or whole.

Positive psychology research consistently finds that change is more sustainable when it builds on strengths rather than deficits. This prompt helps us identify the conditions in which we naturally thrive. Those conditions often point directly toward the intentions that will serve us best.

3. What am I ready to stop proving this year?

Many of us carry invisible expectations: be productive enough, agreeable enough, accomplished enough. Often without realizing we picked them up or when.

Burnout research shows that chronic self-pressure erodes both well-being and effectiveness. Letting go of what we no longer need to prove is not giving up. It is often a return to what matters most.

What is one invisible expectation you feel curious about setting down?

4. What intention wants to guide me gently this year?

Here we go, intention time.  Remember what this is NOT:

Not a checklist.
Not a demand.

This could be a word, phrase, or vision that feels supportive rather than heavy.

Here are a few intentions I am leaning into for 2026:

• Stop apologizing for needing rest (gulp, that's a big one for me).
• Notice when I am overwhelmed and respond with care rather than criticism
• Care for my energy with the same seriousness I give my responsibilities.

Intentions work best when they are relational, something you can return to again and again, especially when things feel uncertain or messy or very human.

A Gentle Invitation for Support

If these questions stir something meaningful, or if you sense you would benefit from a supportive partner as you clarify your intentions, you do not have to do this alone.

Working with a health coach can help you take your goals and put them into sustainable, values-aligned action without turning intentions into pressure. Research in behavior change and health psychology shows that coaching supports accountability, self-trust, and follow-through, especially when growth is approached with compassion rather than force.

If you are an employee at the University of Kentucky, you can learn more about working with one of our nationally certified health coaches, here. We can support you in clarifying intentions, navigating stress, and building habits that honor your whole life, not just your productivity.

Sometimes the most powerful beginning is not a plan, but a conversation.