This will save you months of self-blame

Happy New Year, Yellowers!

January 2nd always feels… interesting.

The year has officially started, but not everyone yet knows what they’re doing.
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The calendar is fresh, and there’s this quiet pressure in the air to “do better this year."

Eat better. Move more. Become a completely new, improved, highly disciplined human being by Monday.

We’ve all been here.

And if we’re honest, a lot of those big New Year’s resolutions don’t even make it to mid-February.

Because real change is… really hard and inconvenient.

The issue with most resolutions is the following:

They’re vague.​
“Be healthier.” “Reduce stress.” “Get fitter." Lovely ideas. Zero instructions.

They’re not planned.

Good intentions don’t survive busy calendars, tired evenings, or that moment when you realise cooking feels harder than ordering something questionable online.

They’re often disconnected from anything that truly matters.

When the why is unclear, motivation disappears very quickly.

So we imagine a better version of ourselves…but we don’t actually build a bridge to get there.

So what actually helps?

1. The reason has to be real.

Not “because I should.”
But something like:

“I want to stop feeling tired by 3 pm.”
“I want to have energy left for the people I love, instead of collapsing in front of another Netflix episode.”

When there’s emotion behind it, the follow-through gets easier.

2. Start ridiculously small.

And I really mean small.

One jumping jack.
One proper lunch eaten without scrolling, emails, or a YouTube video playing in the background “just for company.”

These things feel almost too small to count. But they do.

Because when you keep small promises to yourself, something shifts.
You start trusting yourself again.

You start thinking, Oh… I actually do what I say I’ll do.​
Which is surprisingly motivating.

3. Make it specific.

Vague goals create resistance. Specific ones reduce friction.

Instead of “be healthier,” try:

• “I’ll add one new vegetable to my breakfast.”

• “I’ll drink a glass of water before my first coffee.”

• “I’ll go to bed when I’m tired instead of negotiating with myself for another 45 minutes.”

4. Attach it to something you already do.

This is where habits stop feeling like self-improvement and start feeling… doable.

• After brushing your teeth → one minute of deep breathing

• When you open your laptop → quick posture check

• After dinner → 10 minutes walk around the block

5. Don’t wait for perfect consistency.

You don’t need a flawless streak or a new personality. Showing up once still counts. Trying still counts. Those small, slightly boring repetitions are what actually create change over time.

Bonus: And if you can, don’t do it alone.​
Tell a friend. Check in with someone. Share progress instead of aiming for perfection. Accountability is strangely powerful and much kinder than self-criticism.

So here’s my gentle invitation for this year.

Instead of a long list of resolutions, pick one thing that would genuinely help.

Define it.
Make it doable.
And give yourself permission to learn and adjust as you go.

You’re not behind.
You don’t need fixing.
And small steps, taken consistently, really do change lives.

I’ll be here this year sharing ideas, tools, and reminders to help you protect and grow your energy - without burning yourself out in the process.

I’m cheering for you. Always. 💛

With energy,
Gözde