Notes On… Resolutions with Heart.

The new year is a time of hope and reflection, a moment to pause and consider where we’ve been and where we’re headed. Beneath the resolutions and goals lies a deeper opportunity—to explore ourselves and the stories we carry.

Resolutions often spring from unresolved longings. Why do we vow to eat less, love more, or climb higher? These ambitions often mask a deeper question: Am I enough as I am? When we set goals as destinations rather than journeys, we risk falling into cycles of shame and self-criticism. What if, instead, we approached change with curiosity? What if we asked not what we want to fix, but what we’re ready to understand?

Psychodynamic reflection reminds us that the past is alive in the present. As we step into the new year, echoes of old patterns may emerge—the voice urging us to excel, the fear of failure, the ache of unmet needs. These influences shape how we approach change. Do we strive out of fear or love? Do we reject our imperfections or see them as part of our wholeness?

The most transformative resolution might be self-compassion.

Instead of vowing to lose weight, we could explore our relationship with our body. Instead of promising to work harder, we might examine beliefs about our worth. These shifts are not easy, but they are meaningful. They move us from “fixing” ourselves to understanding ourselves.

As the clock strikes midnight, consider holding two truths: the desire for growth and the acceptance of who you are. Growth doesn’t come from self-denial but from self-awareness. Resolutions, when grounded in compassion, become acts of self-expression rather than self-judgment.

Take a moment as the year begins. Reflect not only on what you want to achieve but on who you want to be. The journey matters more than the destination, and the unfolding of your truest self is the greatest resolution of all.