Episode #427 – Instead of Resolutions, Try This

This is Episode 427 of the Brilliant Balance Podcast: Instead of Resolutions, Try This.

All right, my friends—it is December 30th as this airs, and I know what you’re thinking about. If you are like most women in the world on this date, you are starting to think about resolutions, right? This is when gym memberships start getting purchased, planners get purchased, and everyone is out there promising themselves a whole new life starting January 1st, in just a couple of days.

And I want you to just press pause on all of those instincts to set resolutions and not do it. Not yet, anyway. Because here’s the thing.

Resolutions are like fireworks, right? They’re exciting, they’re bright, they’re dramatic—but they fade really fast. And when they fade, we’re left with guilt and frustration, that nagging feeling that somehow we failed, we’re behind, like we suck. I think many of us have had this experience so many years in a row that it’s almost a cliché at this point—how quickly resolutions fizzle out after we set them.

So I want you to think about this year differently. Instead of chasing a whole new you, instead of making these broad declarations, what if you focused on what actually works? Something you can do that compounds over time and brings out the very best version of yourself.

That’s what I want to talk with you about today. And before I get into that, I want to set the stage for 2026 by saying this: if you’re feeling like it’s time to really do it—to make some changes, to have support around those changes—this could be the year you move the needle on things that are genuinely important to you.

I want to make sure you’re on the waitlist for Brave. I’ve been talking about this for several weeks now, and I am really energized by what we’re bringing into the world through Brave and what we’re going to be able to offer you as a listener of this podcast and a member of this community. If you’re someone who’s thinking, “I’m ready for more than just what I can get from the podcast—I’m getting good ideas, but they’re one-sided, and I want support to make real change in my life,” Brave is for you.

I want you to love your life this year, and I want to support you in building that life. Brave is going to be the very best way I can do that. So if you don’t want to get swept up in the excitement of the new year and miss the enrollment window, get on the waitlist today. Just go to brilliant-balance.com/brave and drop your name in. We’ll notify you as soon as the window opens and share all the details then.

Simple action for today—just saying, “I think this might be for me. I’m going to make sure I don’t miss the boat.”

Now, as we move from that announcement into today’s topic, I want to give you a way to start right now—without a big resolution list. In fact, I don’t want you to set resolutions at all. They’re tricky. I want you to do something much more powerful instead.

Think about what a resolution is. How often have you set one that sounds like, “I’m going to get organized,” or “I’m going to eat better,” or “I’m going to take better care of myself”? Those kinds of resolutions rely on a level of motivation that can be fleeting.

They also tend to veer toward grandiosity. We make big, sweeping declarations about how everything is going to be better. That’s not about you—that’s about how resolutions are designed. Culturally, we expect them to be big and sweeping, promising transformation from a single, almost abstract goal.

But that’s not how change happens. That’s not how life works. Life is the sum of the choices you make day in and day out.

So instead of making resolutions this year, I want you to think about making choices—literally focusing on the next choice you can make.

Am I going to do this or that? A or B? Which one moves me toward the best version of myself? Which one is most aligned with where I am right now—in this season, this month, today?

As I sit here recording this, it’s mid-December. I made a decision about ten minutes ago not to drive downtown for an appointment I had in an hour. I decided to do it online via Zoom instead, saving myself at least an hour of driving back and forth.

That gives me the opportunity to get a couple of important things done this afternoon during these final weeks before the holiday break—things that matter more to me right now than being in person for that appointment.

That’s a choice right in front of me. Do I go downtown, or do I meet online? There’s no right answer. In other weeks, I would absolutely choose to drive downtown. It would be worth it. There isn’t a choice that’s right forever.

And that’s one of the challenges with resolutions—they don’t allow for agility. They don’t allow us to adjust in the moment for what’s right right now.

So I want you to narrow your line of sight to choices instead of big declarations like “I shall never” or “I shall always.”

Change doesn’t happen in single declarations. It happens in small moments when you show up for yourself. That never flames out. It grows when you bring consistent care, attention, and thoughtfulness to these little seeds of choice.

Now, the choice about driving downtown isn’t a big deal. The stakes are low. But the choices that really move us forward—the ones that matter most—often require courage. They push us out of our comfort zone. They require us to get comfortable being uncomfortable.

But they align our actions with what matters most. We have to prioritize. What do I want more? The time back? The productivity? Or the in-person connection? And again, that answer may change week to week.

So why doesn’t everyone do this?

Because it’s invisible.
Because it’s slow.
Because it’s boring.

It doesn’t feel dramatic or exciting. We’re not posting on Instagram about our word of the year. We’re quietly and courageously making small, difficult choices that most people avoid.

And it works exactly because it’s quiet. That’s what gives you an edge. While others chase big resolutions that fizzle out, you’re building a life that actually works.

You don’t need a list of resolutions. If you set aside time this week to make them, you just got your time back. You need one small choice—one decision aligned with the life you want.

Let’s take exercise, since so many resolutions land there. The real choice isn’t “I will exercise this year.” It’s: when you wake up tomorrow, are you putting on your running shoes or getting in the shower? Are you rolling out your yoga mat or making coffee?

That’s the choice. That’s where the rubber meets the road.

The more often you choose what moves you closer to the person you want to be—the leader, parent, partner, or friend you want to be—the more that compounds over time. That’s what creates real, lasting change.

You don’t need a whole new you. You’re already in there. You just need to make the choices that allow that version of you to come forward—showing up a little braver, a little more intentional, a little more alive and aligned every day.

My greatest privilege is supporting you in that—whether through this podcast, the Brave community, or BOLD. I will continue to learn, show up, and evolve Brilliant Balance so I can serve you—so you can go out and do what you’re meant to do.

That ripple effect is powerful. When we align with our purpose, use our gifts, and stop hiding or shrinking, everybody wins. A rising tide lifts all ships.

There is so much space in this community for all of us to have an extraordinary year. It will require each of us to make the choices that are right for us—and the courage to do that. That’s what we’re here to support you in all year long.

So if you’re coming into this episode burdened by resolutions—lay it all down. This can be the last year you ever think about them. By this time next year, you’ll have made a series of choices that moved your life exactly where it was meant to go.

I can’t wait to do it with you.

That’s all for today, my friends.
Until next time—let’s be brilliant. ✨