Resolutions That Actually Work: Ditch the “Should” and Find Your Power
Last year, I made a business resolution: hire one new employee each quarter. It was a clear goal, and it kept me focused. By the end of the year, I had not only hired four employees but also brought on an intern. Who knew that simply writing it down and staying the course could actually, you know, work?
But resolutions aren’t just about ticking boxes or impressing your LinkedIn connections.
They’re an opportunity to dream, evaluate, and commit to living the life you want, not the life you should live.
Why Resolutions Can Feel Pointless
If you’re like me, the phrase “New Year’s resolution” probably conjures up images of overpriced gym memberships, kale smoothies, and goals that last about as long as a TikTok trend.
The problem? Most resolutions feel like a chore…something you should do rather than something you’re excited about. Eat better, work out more, be a productivity ninja... snooze.
Resolutions aren’t about fixing yourself. They’re about creating a life that excites you.
A New Way to Look at Resolutions: Goals with Soul
Instead of focusing on what you should do, think about what you truly want; what resonates deeply with your values and dreams. I call these Goals with Soul because they’re more than surface-level checkboxes. They’re goals that:
Align with Your Core Desires: They resonate with what you truly value, not what others expect of you.
Excite and Challenge You: They should make you feel both energized and a little nervous—they push your edges in the best way.
Feel Like a Natural Fit: They align with the life you want to create, not just the one you think you’re “supposed” to have.
When your goals have soul, they don’t feel like work. They feel like a path to living your most authentic, empowered life.
A Warrior Goddess Lesson from Costa Rica
Last week, I was in Costa Rica for an ayahuasca ceremony. At one point, I was so miserable all I could do was lie on a cold slab of cement and cry. The crying helped—it was releasing stuck emotions I didn’t even know I was carrying: all the “supposed to’s,” all the ways others had hurt me, and the limiting stories I felt confined by.
Then I heard the spirit of ayahuasca say, “Stop resisting. Say ‘thank you’ and ‘yes’ to this experience.”
Now, let me clarify what I mean by saying yes. I don’t mean you should agree to every opportunity or overcommit yourself. I mean saying yes to the difficult things life throws at you—the things that feel hard, uncomfortable, or unfair.
When we’re grateful for those challenges and say yes to facing them, something shifts. Instead of resisting and seeing them as threats to our safety, we can see them as lessons—opportunities to grow, to heal, and to take back control.
By saying yes, we stop being victims of our circumstances and instead become the masters of our own experiences.
The second I stopped resisting and said yes to the misery I was experiencing, everything shifted. I got on all fours, roared (yes, roared), and took back my power. I heard the spirit of ayahuasca say to me "You are a Warrior Goddess…
“You are the master of your own experience.”
My resolution for 2025 is to approach life with gratitude and embrace every challenge that comes my way. Because in saying yes to the difficult, I reclaim my power and choose to experience the world on my own terms.
What Stories Are Holding You Back?
The day after the ceremony, we were invited to share video testimonies. My first thought? “I’m not the kind of person who does that.” Classic limiting story.
But then I remembered: I am the master of my own experience. I told myself, “I am the person who gets up and speaks. I have something to say.” And I did it.
This is what Goals with Soul are all about: breaking free from old stories that no longer serve you, so you can take action that feels aligned and empowering.
Make 2025 the Year of Goals with Soul
Maybe your resolution isn’t about doing more. Maybe it’s about being more:
Saying yes to challenges and seeing them as opportunities for growth.
Letting go of old stories about who you are.
Approaching life with gratitude, even when it’s hard.
Your resolutions should excite you and make you feel alive. They should inspire you to dream bigger and step into the person you’re becoming. That’s what Goals with Soul are all about.
Your Homework
Evaluate: What’s working in your life? What’s not?
Dream: What do you want your life to feel like in 2025?
Act: What’s one resolution that aligns with that dream?
And if you’re ready to take it a step further, ask yourself: What limiting story about myself do I need to let go of to make this resolution happen?
