Instead of making resolutions, set creative intentions

It’s the season.

Many of us have celebrated the holidays in various ways, as befits our family, friends, and traditions. But the one near-universal occasion celebrated this time of year is upon us: New Year’s Eve.

New beginnings.

A formal threshold. An annual opportunity for change and growth.

Over the years, I’ve noticed that more and more people are avoiding the tradition of New Year’s resolutions. This makes sense to me.

Every January, we tell ourselves a version of the same story: This is the year I finally get over it. We decide to eat better, work harder, stress less, be more disciplined, more focused, more of everything. For a brief moment, it can give hope. Like a new beginning.

And then life happens.

By February, many resolutions had already fallen through. Gym visits are decreasing. Strict routines become untenable. What’s left is often not motivation, but guilt. We assume we failed because we didn’t try hard enough.

Who wants this feeling year after year?

However, by turning our back on this tradition, are we missing an important opportunity for a different approach?

When it comes to traditional resolutions, research suggests something else might be going on. The problem may not be with us. Maybe it’s the path we are trying to change.

Traditional New Year’s resolutions tend to be rigid and results-oriented. They rely heavily on willpower and assume that our future selves will somehow have more energy, time, and self-control than our own. Decades of research on self-regulation teach us that willpower is limited, especially in stressful situations (Baumeister et al., 1998). In other words, resolutions are more likely to fail precisely when life gets difficult, which is usually when we want them the most.

There is also another problem. Resolutions are often framed in all-or-nothing terms. Either we respect them or we don’t. Miss a few days, break a rule, or fall back into an old habit, and you may feel like the whole effort is ruined. This type of binary thinking fuels shame and disengagement, emotions that make change harder, not easier (Tangney et al., 2007).

So what is the alternative?

Instead of resolutions, think about creative intentions.

What are creative intentions?

Creative intentions shift attention away from rigid outcomes and focus on how we want relate to our lives. Rather than asking, “What do I need to fix about myself?” » they ask: “How do I want to present myself?

A creative intention might look like:

• “I want to approach challenges with curiosity rather than self-criticism. »
• “This year I want to practice being gentler with myself.”
• “I want to explore what balance actually looks like in my real life, not ideal balance.”

Notice the difference. These intentions are not checklists. They do not depend on perfect tracking. They invite reflection, experimentation and adjustment over time.

The word creative counts here. Not because we have to be artistic, but because creativity involves flexibility, openness and imagination. Creativity allows change to be a process rather than a test.

Why intentions work better than resolutions

From a psychological perspective, creative intentions align closely with what we know about lasting change:

• Self-determination theory shows that people are more likely to maintain their behaviors when they feel empowered and internally motivated, when change reflects personal values ​​rather than external pressure (Deci & Ryan, 2000). Creative intentions are self-chosen and value-based, not driven by “shoulds.”
• Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) emphasizes value-guided action rather than symptom control. Research consistently shows that psychological flexibility, the ability to adapt while remaining connected to what matters, is strongly associated with well-being (Hayes et al., 2012). Creative intentions support this flexibility by making room for discomfort, setbacks, and learning.
• A growth mindset softens our relationship with failure and is associated with greater resilience and perseverance (Dweck, 2006). By focusing on effort rather than a fixed goal, we are more likely to ask ourselves, “What have I learned?” instead of “Why can’t I stick to this?” »

The role of creativity in change

Creativity does something that resolutions rarely do: it makes change feel human.

Research on expressive writing and narrative practices shows that creative thinking, through writing, visual mapping, or storytelling, can reduce distress and increase insight, particularly when people focus on meaning rather than performance (Pennebaker & Chung, 2011).

Creativity also draws on emotion, imagination and identity, all of which are key factors in long-term motivation. We are far more likely to return to practices that seem meaningful than those that seem punitive.

For example, a person with the intention of “living more intentionally” might notice times during the week that seem aligned or misaligned and reflect on the reasons why. A person focused on “rest” might experiment gently, learning through trial and error rather than settling into a rigid routine.

This type of approach turns change into a relationship, not a settlement.

To repair ourselves to the practice of being human

One of the most important shifts that creative intentions offer is a move away from self-repair. Resolutions often imply that something is wrong with us and needs to be fixed. Creative intentions start from a different assumption: growth is continuous, uneven, and shaped by context.

This distinction is important. Research on self-compassion shows that people who respond to setbacks with kindness rather than judgment are more resilient and more motivated to continue (Neff, 2003). Creative intentions naturally support this position by emphasizing practice over perfection.

Instead of quitting after a misstep, we are invited to stay curious.

A different way to start the year

Creative intentions do not promise dramatic transformation through sheer force of will. What they offer instead is something calmer and more sustainable: a way to stay committed to growth, even when life is complicated.

In a culture that often equates progress with productivity and self-esteem with success, choosing creative intentions can seem almost radical. It’s a decision to value curiosity over control and meaning over measurements.

As the new year begins, perhaps the most useful question isn’t, “What do I need to change?” but rather: “How can I present myself – again and again, imperfectly, honestly?”

This kind of intention may well last longer than January.