I’m a chronic forward-thinker, the kind of person who gets excited about the upcoming year as soon as the Halloween decorations come down. Just the idea of a fresh start sends me into full Pinterest-board-resolution-making mode before you can even say “turkey”—and honestly, it’s paid off. Starting my so-called pre-resolutions ritual during the holiday season has been the most unexpectedly effective life hack I’ve stumbled into. When I stopped waiting until the final, chaotic week of December to cram in all my hopes and dreams, my resolutions got real—actually achievable, aligned with what I truly want in life, and sustainable.
I get it—the week between Christmas and New Year’s can sometimes feel like a super-extreme case of the Sunday scaries. My former self would spend it spiraling over everything I didn’t accomplish and all the unforeseeable plot twists the next year would inevitably throw at me. Picture me sitting in my childhood bedroom, doom-scrolling my own life while snacking on leftover Christmas cookies. But now, thanks to making pre-resolutions, I’ve moved past my yearly end-of-year panic and stepped into my calm-and composed-adult-who-journals era.
Whether you love the whole resolutions thing or you roll your eyes every time someone says “intentions,” December presents a unique opportunity to tap into big main-character energy while you reflect on the past and consider what you want for the future. Setting pre-resolutions is how I’ve learned to approach the annual goal-setting stress with clarity and enthusiasm (I know I can’t possibly be the only one who gets extra ~reflective~ as the year comes to a close). So let’s get into it: what pre-resolutions are, why you need to be making them, and how they’re going to set you up to crush your 2026 goals.
“I can’t wait for January 1—because when it comes, I’ll be ready.”
What Is a “Pre-Resolution?”
Pre-resolutions are basically journal prompts that let you stretch the whole reflection-and-resolution-making process across the entire month of December so you don’t get hit with the feeling of being behind when January 1 rolls around. Putting all your thoughts on paper—from the things that didn’t work well this year to your hopes in the next—means that when it’s time to set resolutions, you’re not frazzled or disorganized. Rather, you’re grounded, intentional, and motivated to incorporate new goals or routines.
Here’s the gist: spend December reconnecting with yourself so you can figure out the right kind of resolutions that will actually lead to your happiest, fullest life—not the empty ones you think you’re supposed to set but never get to. You can do all your reflecting in one sitting, but I like to break it up and set mini-intentions for each week leading up to the new year. Here’s an example of what three weeks of pre-resolution prompts might look like:
Week 1:
- What new things have entered my life in the past year that I am grateful for?
- When did I feel most at peace over the past year?
- How did I show up for myself this year?
- What am I most proud of for achieving this year?
Week 2:
- What are some things I’m ready to leave behind as I transition into the new year?
- How can I show up better for myself in the year ahead?
- How can I show up better for my community and the world around me this coming year?
- What is something I’ve been doing inconsistently this year that I want to do consistently in the new year?
Week 3:
- What big changes do I anticipate coming this year? How can I best prepare for those changes?
- What do I want my life to look like one year from today?
- What are the things, people, and situations that I want to invite into my life in the new year?
“We have plenty of time to achieve the things we want to accomplish…”
Why I Make Pre-Resolutions
If you don’t get majorly anxious about the turn of the new year or if adding “pre-resolutions” sounds like yet another thing to do, there’s no need to alter your normal January routine. And, just a reminder, you don’t have to set goals just because the calendar flips—you can decide to course-correct and go after certain objectives to improve yourself on a random Tuesday (AKA whenever it feels right). But for me, making pre-resolutions helps me live in the moment during the holiday season because gratitude is a huge part of goal-setting, and I find it easiest to access real gratitude when I’m surrounded by family and friends throughout December. Plus, pre-resolutions save me from the classic late-December identity crisis, give me breathing room to sort out what I truly want, and keep me from setting intentions out of panic or comparison.
If you’re still not sold on the concept, think of pre-resolutions less like homework and more like a manifestation practice warm-up. Manifestation experts like Roxie Nafousi remind us it takes time. Meanwhile, the culture around resolutions is still stuck in this once-a-year, one-and-done ritual where we’re expected to reinvent ourselves in a single afternoon. Pre-resolutions turn the resolutions we make into manifestations by stretching the timeline we dedicate to our goals, helping transform them from pressure-filled promises into something more intentional and achievable.
Preventing the end-of-year scaries starts with realizing that our goals aren’t on a strict deadline with no extensions. Despite what hustle culture or social media says, we have time to grow, pivot, and move on from unfulfilled plans with self-compassion, and choose new ones that feel aligned instead of obligatory. And once you’ve cleared the emotional clutter, having a simple system in place to make the resolution-setting routine feel less stressful can make a world of difference. I can’t wait for January 1—because when it’s here, I’ll be walking into it ready.
Emma Ginsberg, Former Associate Editor & Podcast Assistant
Emma is a writer, editor, and podcast producer who created at The Everygirl beginning in 2021. She wrote for all sections on the site, edited the Entertainment and Community sections, and helped produce The Everygirl Podcast. You can listen to her with podcast host Josie Santi on the intros of The Everygirl Podcast and read her articles across the site.
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