The New Year Can Begin Now

Marianna Jaross

We can set ourselves up for success without waiting for the new year.

I like a reset: Cleansing my apartment, decluttering, and making things beautiful makes me feel good.

I also think it can call in new energy, help us to clear our mind, and ready ourselves for a new chapter.

We sometimes wait until the new year to do this; even though resolutions tend to run out by February, and we are back in the same patterns and doing the same things over and over again.

We don’t need to wait for a milestone to start making changes, we can start whenever we like. If we start early, practice consistently, we can build the skills for a genuine reset.

Small changes compound over time.

There is time to build ourselves up again if you’ve had an ‘off’ year. This is what we can do:

1. Declutter your space.

Cluttered spaces can raise our stress levels, make it harder to think clearly; and, from my perspective, block our energy.

A clear space allows can help clear stagnant energy from our lives.

2. Start a meditation and healthy behaviours routine, and if you can; and have someone to hold you accountable.

I am back on the meditation apps to give me some structure and motivation.

My friend and I report (almost) daily our healthy habits to keep each other accountable: The reality is, we could both make excuses for being too busy, but we carve out the time to look after ourselves, even if it is short.

Healthy behaviours compound over time.

3. Be mindful of doom-scrolling.

So many hours of my life have been spent online: Some of them helpful and productive, learning new skills, working online, or intentionally relaxing and having down-time.

But what about that liminal space of nothingness? I shudder to think at the amount of hours I have lost that could have spent having a laugh with a friend, out in nature, or doing something that genuinely recharges me.

We can choose to do more of the latter now.

4. Start saying ‘yes.’

I am often one to dive head-first into things that scare me: After a couple of knocks this year I have had to remember that I can and should still take opportunities that might push me out of my comfort zone.

I am now beginning to open myself back up to new opportunities again: Saying ‘yes,’ means that we say yes to life again, and that we are open to unexpected plot-twists.

5. Align to your values.

Our values shift over the lifespan, and what we want and need can change over time. Actively checking in with ourselves can help support a values-aligned and meaningful life.

We can start these now.

© Marianna Jaross 2025

Please note: This article is independent of my professional associations and workplace(s).