We know New Year’s resolutions do not work. In fact, studies show 91% of people who make New Year’s resolutions have abandoned them by February. This is why I have suggested swapping those ill-fated resolutions with an annual intention. That is one quality you focus on improving for an entire year, whether that’s empathy, courage, or curiosity. (If you need help choosing your quality, we have a list of questions you can answer to help you finalize it.)
An annual intention is a big goal, a year-long project. What if you have other areas of your life that you want to improve on a smaller scale and you do not want to wait for the new year to roll around?
That is where seasonal resolutions come in! Four opportunities for a fresh start can be a more effective and manageable approach to making lasting changes.
Summer is Great, But….
In a recent article for Psychology Today, a social psychology expert makes the case for changing the timing of resolutions to summer. Her reasons include it is easier to keep a resolution because it is happening during a shorter period. It can be more feasible to set a goal and keep it for the three months of the season rather than an entire year.
Summer also provides warmer weather and more daylight, which are helpful to anyone who has fitness goals and wants to spend time outdoors hiking, biking, or running.
If healthy eating is on your docket, summer provides a bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables available at your local farmers market or grocery store.
We tend to spend more time outdoors with friends and family during the summer, which brings happiness. When we are happy, we are more likely to stick with the routines that make us happy.
For those with work-related goals, you may have more time to work on a special project because many people are on vacation or have fewer work hours during summer months.
It is clear to see why a summer resolution could work for many people, but here we are at the end of summer (depending on your definition of it). Does that mean you have lost the opportunity, and you should wait until next summer to give this idea a try, or even worse, make a dreaded New Year’s resolution? Absolutely not! Any season is the time to try to improve your life.
Seasonal Solutions
I think quarterly resolutions could be beneficial for so many reasons. First, if you are a parent, summer is a terribly busy time. You may not be able to consistently make time for your morning walk because you must drop off the kids at camp at 9am one week and 10am the next week. So, parents may want to have different resolutions in the summer that focus on family time and being present for their children. Then when fall rolls around and school begins, you may be able to get on a schedule a little easier.
I was recently working with a coaching client, and she told me that she could not wait until the end of summer so that she could buckle down at work and get herself back on track. What has been distracting her? Because of the longer days, she is doing more long walks with friends and going to outdoor gatherings. She is putting pleasure ahead of her summer goal of writing a LinkedIn post once a week. Rather than chastising herself, she should consider the season and make focusing on marketing her business her resolution for the fall. In the meantime, she could focus on other goals that are more easily achieved during the daylight. It is a lot easier to get out of bed to go for a morning run or walk when the sun is out rather than when it is cold and dark!
I know someone who lives in Florida, and it has been so hot this summer, it is too hot to enjoy outdoor time until much later in the day. Instead, he has focused on home improvement or organizational projects that can be done indoors during the hot days. It’s a great time to get those off of your “to do” list!
Other ideas based on where you live and the seasons could be reading more (whether for pleasure or professional development), starting a garden in the spring, and cooking more instead of eating out so you can achieve healthier eating goals. Warmer seasons are also great times to connect with friends. Get a group together to head to the beach or lake, host a backyard cookout or take advantage of outdoor activities like festivals, concerts, or movie nights in the park.
Professional Promises
In addition to your personal resolutions, be sure to include your professional life. Maybe there is a stretch project at work that you can volunteer for or there is some training you can do for your current job. If you are in a leadership role, JMA’s 2-day leadership workshops can help you achieve greater results, quickly and sustainably.
If you are considering a career switch, do some volunteer work in your new field. You will gain firsthand experience without the commitment of a full-time job. It will also expand your network as you build connections with professionals in the industry, which can lead to job opportunities and valuable references. Volunteering is a low-risk way to explore a new career path and see if it is the right fit for you.
If you have always dreamed of publishing a book, decide when the best time for you to write a chapter a week is, and you just may be able to launch that book next year!
Logistical Planning
How do you organize what you want to do all year long into seasons? I suggest making a list of everything you want to do, change, or improve in your life. Make one extensive list and then subdivide it into seasons.
Consider if you have any deadlines throughout the year and account for those in your timeline. For example, if you have a trip planned for the middle of March, resolving to get your taxes done in winter would be a realistic goal. You will not have that weighing on you during your vacation and the weather in that season would be conducive to working inside on that project.
The end of each season offers a natural checkpoint to evaluate your progress, reflect on what worked and what did not, and set new goals for the next season. This promotes continuous improvement and personal growth throughout the year.
Life changes constantly, and so do your needs and circumstances. Seasonal resolutions allow you to reassess and adapt your goals more frequently, ensuring they remain aligned with your current priorities and lifestyle.
But be real with yourself. If daily cold plunges are unbearable now, a resolution will not change that. Visualize the behavior you want to adopt and how it will feel, helping you anticipate future pleasure and discomfort. Do not wait for a special occasion to make changes—start small and find what works to build lasting habits.