Why I Wait Until Spring to Set My New Year Goals

Are you someone who loves setting goals at the beginning of the year, or have you given up on the practice altogether?

I’ve been both. For years, I followed the crowd and set New Year’s resolutions, only to abandon them by March. I always felt like a failure. When I turned 50, I decided I’d had enough of the pressure to perform and improve, so I stopped setting resolutions altogether. I thought I’d feel happier with that decision, but it still didn’t feel right. At the end of each year, my life hadn’t really changed.

In 2024, I finally found my groove. I kept seeing articles about the benefits of waiting until spring to set goals. It turns out there’s some science behind it. The winter months often bring less daylight, lower energy, and diminished motivation. I’m not that old, but in January, I find myself wanting to put my pajamas on at 6 p.m. and stay on the couch. Instead of feeling guilty about it, I decided to embrace it.

I approached the winter months as a season to slow down and reflect. I took a good look at where I’d been, what I loved about my life, and what I wanted to change. When spring arrived, I felt rested and ready to set new goals. With the sunlight came a renewed sense of motivation and clarity about what I truly wanted my life to look like and how I wanted to feel. For the first time in my life, I can look back and see that I met most of those goals. I think the difference was that I took the time in winter to rest and reflect. My goals were based on what I really wanted, not just my first impulsive thoughts.

One of the tools that helped me was the Wheel of Life, so I created a guide specifically for women in midlife. I'm calling it the Midlife Balance Wheel Guide. This simple exercise takes you through eight areas of your life and gives you a visual representation of where you’re thriving and where you may need to focus to create more balance. It resonates with me because I hate driving when a wheel is out of balance—turns out, I don’t like living life that way either.

I used this exercise with my clients last month. Here’s what Lisa (yes, her real name!) said about the experience:

“Lisa’s Wheel of Life exercise was a powerful aha moment for me. Reflecting on the various areas of life and visualizing my strengths and weaknesses allowed me to see where I need to focus my energy.”

You can download the Midlife Balance Wheel Exercise below. I’ve even included some deep-dive questions to get you thinking. I know it can feel like a sacrifice to take time for exercises like this, but I promise it’s worth it. At the end of 2024, it was so rewarding to look back and see all the ways my life had become more balanced.

For Those Who Feel They Must Set Goals Now

If you feel like you absolutely have to set some goals this week, here are a few tips:

1. Focus on self-care and reflection. Consider setting a goal based on how you want to feel rather than something you want to achieve. For example: “I want to feel calm at night before bed.”

2. Keep it small and achievable. Set realistic, bite-sized goals that don’t overwhelm you.

3. Put a time limit on it. Decide to keep the goal for the month of January and evaluate how you feel at the end of the month. If it’s a goal worth keeping, you’ll continue with it. If it’s not working, leave it behind in February.

Join the Conversation! Don’t forget that I’ve created a private Facebook group—Midlife With Purpose—for women just like you. On New Year’s Day, I’ll host a live call sharing tips on how to use the Midlife Balance Wheel. All calls are recorded, so you can watch at your convenience. I’d love to have you join us.

Here’s to a balanced and fulfilling 2025—on your own timeline.

Happy New Year! Lisa