There is a big misconception about the New Year: that you need to reinvent yourself, overhaul your habits, and become a completely refreshed version of who you were on December 31st.
But most people forget is that you did a lot right last year, and one of the healthiest things you can do is simply carry those learnings forward. This year doesn't necessarily need a dramatic makeover, it just needs more of what already works.
Below is a guide to identifying what served you last year and how to bring those things with you into the months ahead.
1. Start With a “What Didn’t Break Me” List
Forget the highlight reel, let’s talk resilience. Think back over the last year and ask: What helped me stay grounded? What supported me? What kept me going even when life was messy?
This could be:
• the weekly walk you stuck to
• the boundary you held
• the bedtime routine you actually enjoyed
• catch-ups with the friend who became a confidant
• the quiet Sunday morning ritual nobody knew about
These are the habits worth keeping. Not the flashy ones, but the ones that held you steady.
2. Notice the Things You Kept Coming Back To
Some habits fade in and out, but others have this magnetic pull. Maybe it was journaling, cooking more, saying no more often, taking 10 minute breaks, or choosing earlier nights. Anything you returned to naturally is a sign of alignment. Lean in to these patterns.
3. Ask Yourself What Actually Felt Good
Not what looked productive or what sounded impressive, not what you “should” want to do but what actually felt good. If it, calmed you, energised you, connected you, brought you joy or made your life easier, it deserves a place in the year ahead. Good habits are sustainable because they feel good, not because they are forced.
4. Turn Last Year’s Wins Into This Year’s Baseline
Instead of setting huge new goals, turn your small wins into your new normal. If you walked twice a week last year, put that at the baseline and let anything extra be a bonus.
If you took better care of your mental health, keep those practices within reach. You do not have to start over. You get to continue, and that alone is progress.
5. Keep It Simple: Choose Your “Top Three Keepers”
Not everything needs to come with you into the new year, some things were seasonal and some belonged to an older version of you. Pick three things that genuinely improved your wellbeing last year. A short list is easier to maintain, more meaningful, and far more realistic than a long list of resolutions.
6. Protect What Worked
The habits that worked last year will only last if they are protected this year. Think about what made those habits possible, was it time, space, energy, boundaries, support? Then ask yourself, 'what do I need to do to protect those conditions?', Sometimes carrying forward what worked is less about the habit itself and more about maintaining the environment that allowed it to thrive.
7. Let Your Past Self Teach You
Instead of looking at the new year as a blank slate, see it as a continuation of your story. What did last year teach you about what you need? Maybe you learned that you need more rest. Maybe you realised how much routine helps your sanity. Maybe you discovered you are better when you communicate your needs. These lessons are gifts, do not leave them behind.
8. Keep Growing, Not Starting Over
The idea that you need to start from scratch every January is exhausting and unrealistic. A healthier approach is to grow from where you already are - tiny improvements, gentle refinement, a small step forward instead of a dramatic leap. Let this year be a continuation, not a reset.
Your life does not need to be reinvented. it just needs to be supported and the easiest way to build a meaningful year is to carry forward the habits, moments, and choices from last year that made you feel like yourself. This year is not about a new you, it's about honouring the version of you who has already done so much evolving, learning, and growing.