Here’s to a year with fewer resolutions.

January arrives, and with it, the inevitable list of New Year’s resolutions. How could we forget them? It’s almost an extreme sport, those final seconds of 2025, trying to scarf down 12 grapes in a single bite, hoping that each wish will magically come true in the coming months.

The boost of motivation that comes with the start of a new year is no small thing. We all appreciate that feeling of being able to start from scratch. January has that special effect: it’s like the Monday of every week or the first day of every month—that little nudge that invites us to wipe the slate clean and think: “This is the year, it’s finally my year!” But nobody talks about the massive slump that usually hits during the first week of 2026.

We all return to our routines and work, the holidays end, and it’s back to early mornings. The days spent with family and friends have dissolved, leaving behind only fond memories, photos saved on our phones, and that bittersweet feeling of having to wait until next December. January arrives quietly, reminding us that life goes on and we don’t always need to rush to keep up with it.

The excitement doesn't last long; in January, it often feels more like a rollercoaster. Gyms are packed, nutritionists are booked solid, the fridge is full of healthy food, you’re excited about that new hobby you just signed up for, and your bad habits are “a thing of the past” because you’re a new person. Until the routine swallows us up again and, without realizing it, all those resolutions go down the drain.

Then comes something even heavier than abandoning the list: the feeling of having failed. After all that energy you poured into keeping your resolutions, guilt sets in for not maintaining a pace that—let’s be honest—is impossible to sustain with peak motivation every single day, all day long. And that’s when that uncomfortable thought arises: “Maybe it wasn’t true that 2026 would be my year after all.”

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‍Perhaps the problem isn’t that we don’t keep our resolutions, but that we start the year with huge expectations and very little self-compassion. Why not trade that endless list for a smaller, more realistic version? Resolutions that fit your life, are more achievable, and less perfect—ones that allow us to move forward little by little, without the pressure.

· Choose one or two resolutions that actually make you feel good, not the ones expected of you.

· Swap them for smaller versions: instead of reading 15 new books a year, try reading 5 pages before bed or during the day. Don’t commit to going to the gym every single day; start by moving your body twice a week.

· Allow yourself breaks and adjustments. There is nothing wrong with changing your mind or slowing down at some point; I promise you, it’s okay.

· Celebrate and applaud your consistency and your small steps forward, no matter how minor they may seem.

Starting slow doesn’t set you back; often, it’s the only thing that makes change sustainable. Maybe this year isn’t about becoming a new version of yourself, but about taking better care of the person you already are. Learning to live with more calm and less demand—perhaps that is our true resolution.

     Happy 2026, everyone!

    See you soon, ciao.