No resolutions for me, thanks

At the start of each new year, people around the globe celebrate by setting goals for self-improvement, typically called New Year’s resolutions.

A YouGov survey found that 31% of Americans say they will make a New Year’s resolution or set a goal for 2026. Adults under 45 are twice as likely than older Americans to say they will set a goal.

There were 25 goals listed in the survey, the most commonly selected being exercising more, being happy, eating healthier, saving more money and improving physical health. The least selected were getting more involved politically and showing up on time more often.

Several years ago, I stopped making a resolution. I couldn’t stand being one of the more than 90% of people to not accomplish said goal. By three months into the year, more than 50% will have given up.

Now I focus my New Year’s goal around reading. It’s something I enjoy, and I make sure my goal is attainable. It helps me feel productive throughout the year rather than creating a self-improvement task to loom over me waiting for me to slip up.

It’s worth mentioning that I am a quitter. Or perhaps, I’m just not a finisher. If you need someone to come up with an idea, I’m your girl. I will spend an entire day mapping out an entire idea with big plans and a foolproof path to get there. By a few days later, I’ve moved on to the next big thing.

For example, I’m often the one in November to say “Hey guys, we should do the Lighted Christmas Parade. I have this great idea for a float!” Then the end of November rolls around and someone, probably Mandy, reminds me of said plan.

The rest of the crew ends up having to assist me through making my idea come to life, often taking the lead.

The same thing happened two summers ago when Erin and I visited all 36 bookstores on the Iowa Indie Bookshop Tour. After about 15 stops, I was ready to throw in the towel. We were going to have to work our butts off to get to the stores in the northern and western parts of the state.

Erin put her foot down, saying she already bought 15 books, she wasn’t about to stop now. She drug me kicking and screaming through the next 21 bookstores. Other than the driving, I did actually have a lot fun. Plus it was nice to finish something.

This is definitely one of my personality flaws, but the fact that I know it means I can work with it. The thing is, we don’t always have to change ourselves. For example, someone who is data-oriented and doesn’t have a naturally creative mind may never develop a mind for ideation. Instead, what they can do is find someone in their life to complement their strengths.

Clearly my strength is not in task carry out and completion. As we’ve seen, Erin and Mandy are a good complement for me professionally to help me see through things I’ve started.

Don’t get me wrong, I’d still like to work on seeing things through. There are a number of things I’d like to see myself complete.

One of the things I’m curious to see if I’m able to finish to completion is the 26 in ‘26 TBR (to be read) wheel Erin and I are doing. Every two weeks, we spin a wheel of books we own but have not read. Whichever it lands on, we read.

I’m about halfway through my first book, “Meet Me at the Lake” by Carley Fortune. I was a little disappointed to have my first book be a lakeside rom-com in January, but it is what it is!

Of course like most Americans, I’d like to exercise more and eat healthier. For the first time in two years, my hormones are starting to regulate. I spent 2024 doing IVF, pregnant, miscarriage, another round of IVF and pregnant again. In 2025, I was pregnant and then newly postpartum.

I’m now battling finding time and motivation to exercise while also caring for an infant. The biggest battle is with my husband Patrick working nights, leaving me to care for her overnight and then get up for work the next day. She is not sleeping through the night at this point.

All this to say, I don’t have any targeted or specific New Year’s resolutions other than those related to my reading. However, I do have things I will strive toward throughout the year.