This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Illinois chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
As the first month of 2026 comes to a close, I’ve started to think about New Year’s Resolutions. Not your typical New Year’s Resolutions, but a set of goals that I have come up with in an effort to better myself physically, mentally and emotionally.
Don’t get me wrong, last year treated me fairly well, but there are steps I want to take to ensure that 2026 is even better. Creating these resolutions (or, as I prefer to call them, goals) gives me something to look forward to and presents me with a new challenge to overcome.
In no particular order, these goals for myself include: improving my diet, prioritizing time in the gym, overcoming my fear of trying new things, exploring new hobbies until I find one I love and learning to embrace my feelings rather than suppress them.
But this isn’t all about me. I encourage you to take some time to think about your plans for the new year. What is in store for you this year? What will 2026 have to offer? After taking some time to explore these thoughts, grab a notebook and begin to jot down your thoughts. This isn’t supposed to be a difficult task; rather, it’s a way for you to lay out your expectations for the year.
Once you’ve compiled your thoughts, try to transform your ideas into a series of goals or aspirations. Nothing is off limits here! No goal is ever too small to set for yourself and no goal is ever too big to accomplish.
Now, to achieve these goals, you first need to identify what they mean to you personally. Dig deep within yourself and understand why these changes are so important to you and your lifestyle. It may not be easy, but vulnerability is truly key to making positive, healthy changes.
It is also important to define these goals. What do they mean? How do you expect to reach them? What are you going to do in order to make them a vital part of your daily routine?
This is where it starts to get tricky. Holding yourself accountable is never easy, but it facilitates growth and development.
For instance, rather than saying I simply want to eat “healthier”, I have made the decision to eat cleaner. You may ask yourself, “What does eating cleaner even mean?” Well, really, that definition is up to you. But I define eating cleaner as intentionally choosing foods with fewer ingredients, and, of those ingredients, I can read and understand what each one is.
While it’s easier said than done, achieving these goals is well worth the time and energy. It may be tough at first, but keep fighting and pushing forward. You got this!