Every December, like clockwork, the world gears up with resolutions, vision boards, and that contagious “new year, new me” energy that makes us all feel like we’re about to reinvent everything we’ve ever struggled with. But if you’re genuinely wondering how to set goals that actually change your life, I’ll gently tell you this: it takes more than a pretty planner and the hope that this will finally be your year.

For years, I was right there with everyone else—writing resolutions like “eat healthier,” “work out more,” and “stress less” in a pristine new planner, convinced the stationery alone had power. Groundbreaking. And, shockingly (to absolutely no one), none of it stuck. Most of those resolutions were already falling apart before the leftover holiday fudge disappeared.

Because here’s the truth I’ve learned the hard way—in my 40s, as a mom, as someone who homeschools her kids while running two full-time businesses, as someone who’s been through medical emergencies with a child, as someone who has navigated seasons that felt like they would swallow me whole:

Resolutions don’t change your life. Decisions do.

And decisions aren’t made at midnight with a glass of sparkling apple cider. They’re made on the quiet Tuesday mornings no one sees. They’re made in hospital waiting rooms.
In messy kitchens. In the car while wondering how in the world you’re going to stretch yourself any further. In the middle of seasons where everything feels stuck… especially you.

For a long time, I lived in ‘default mode’. You might know the place:

Same stress.
Same overwhelm.
Same habits.
Same goals… that never actually turned into anything.
Same version of myself I kept hoping would magically upgrade from sheer perseverance alone.

I kept wishing for change without actually creating the conditions for it. It wasn’t until one particularly heavy year—one full of medical diagnoses, financial stress, life pivots, and more burnout than I care to admit—that I realized something:

Nothing in my life was going to change until I decided to design it differently.

And that realization? Hit like a freight train.

The Myth of “Someday”

I used to tell myself: “When things calm down, I’ll finally get organized” or “When business slows, I’ll focus on my health”. And the classic “When the kids are older, I’ll get my life together.”

Let me just lovingly report from the front lines: Things don’t calm down. Business doesn’t slow. The kids get older, but the calendar somehow gets fuller. There is no “someday.” There’s only you, today, and what you decide to do with the next 24 hours.

It was a humbling (and not to mention irritating) truth to accept. Because I genuinely believed I was doing my best. And in many ways, I was. But I was letting life happen to me, instead of intentionally designing the life I wanted to live.

I was surviving, not creating. Reacting, not leading. Hoping, not planning. And every year felt like a rough draft of the one before.

What Actually Changed Everything

The shift wasn’t glamorous. There was no movie montage. No inspirational music. No overnight transformation. Just me, sitting at my kitchen table, staring down a life that wasn’t working anymore. And instead of writing resolutions like “stress less” (like… what does that even mean?), I asked myself three questions that changed everything:

1. What do I actually want?
2. What is in my control?
3. What am I willing to do consistently, even when it’s not convenient or fun?

That’s when goal setting became something entirely different. It wasn’t about perfection. Or hustle. Or becoming a “new me.” It was about becoming a true me.

It was about designing a life that actually supported the woman I was trying to become. And here’s what happened when I started approaching my goals this way:

I got clearer. My habits became simpler. My life felt more intentional. My days finally started reflecting my priorities. Not all at once, of course. And not perfectly. But consistently. And consistency, done quietly, is the most underrated miracle worker there is.

Why Resolutions Don’t Work (But Designing Your Year Does)

Here’s why traditional resolutions fail:

01. They’re vague.

“Be healthy” isn’t a goal. Neither is “be less stressed.”

02. They’re reactive.

We choose them because we’re frustrated, not because we’re aligned.

03. They’re built on adrenaline.

And adrenaline wears off by January 12th.

But designing your year? That’s something else entirely. It slows you down. It gets under your skin. It asks you to look at your patterns honestly. It invites you to take ownership of your life. Not in a hustle culture way, but in a grounded, grown-woman way. Goal setting, when done intentionally, becomes less about accomplishing things… and more about becoming someone. Someone who knows where she’s going. Someone who isn’t waiting for permission. Someone who leads her life rather than reacting to it.

And that? That changes everything.

Your Life Isn’t Stuck, But Your System Is

I say this with love: If your life feels the same year after year, it’s not because you’re unmotivated or undisciplined or “bad at goals.” It’s because you’re using a system that was never designed to support the life you’re trying to build.

What we need—especially the women juggling businesses, homeschooling, medical needs, relationships, aging parents, careers, personal growth, and everything else life throws our way—is not motivation.

We need clarity. Structure. A plan that feels human. Not rigid. Not trendy. Not overwhelming. A plan that helps you design the life you keep saying you want. And that’s exactly why I created A Well-Designed Year. Because I needed something that didn’t just hold my goals… but held me. Something that laid out how to set goals that actually change your life.

Something that made space for real life and real seasons. Something flexible enough to pivot with me. Something structured enough to actually move the needle. It’s the resource that changed everything for me, and I built it to help you change your everything too.

Becoming the Next Version of Yourself

When you feel that tug for something different, it’s not a sign you’ve gone off track. It’s simply a sign you’re growing. You’re noticing what no longer fits. You’re paying attention to what you’ve outgrown. And you’re making peace with the idea that life doesn’t improve in one sweeping decision. It improves in layers.

For me, it started quietly. One small change. Then another. Nothing glamorous, nothing Instagram-worthy. Just a slow shift toward the life I kept saying I wanted, but never actually built space for.

And that’s what this whole thing really comes down to: not perfection, not hustle, not a brand-new identity.

Just choosing, gently and intentionally, to step into the next version of yourself.

If You’re Looking for a Place to Begin + Learn How to Set Goals That Actually Change Your Life

When I finally got honest with myself about what wasn’t working, I needed a way to organize the noise, something to help me see my life clearly again. That’s why I created A Well-Designed Year. 

It’s simple, intentional, and made for real women in real lives — not an idealized version of ourselves we don’t have time to be.

If it feels like the right next step, it’s waiting for you right here. If not, trust that you’re still moving in the right direction.

Here’s to 2026 being the year you don’t just hope things will be different—you actually build the difference.

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And hey, if you want more of these honest chats about goals, habits, motherhood, business, and building a well-designed life, hop onto The Weekly Edit.

It’s where all the good stuff goes first. The real-life stories, the practical tools, the little mindset shifts that make a big difference.

Come hang out.