What Works, What Drains, What is on Autopilot?

New Year’s Resolutions didn’t ever work for me.  They were too broad, not actionable, and unrealistic. They felt more like “all or nothing” pressure statements. “Be Happier, Lose Weight, Less Stress, Be Healthier …”  

Change is slow. It takes small, consistent actions over time to see progress.  Our brains are wired to resist change but also possess the capacity to rewire.  In 2026, if you want to try something different, ditch the resolutions and try this instead.   

I love the New Year and use this time as a chance to evaluate, reset, and grow.  I have done this self-assessment or inventory slightly differently over the years. I see the most progress when I focus, simplify and think about building on the foundation I already have.  I think about intentions, mindset, and the direction I aspire towards.  

To keep things simple this year, I’m asking myself three questions about 2025: 

• What is working  

• What is draining   

• What is on autopilot 

For each question, I list everything that comes to mind and then I rank them.   

In the What is Working category, this is my foundation. I keep them all as they are part of my daily habits and practices. I get to celebrate those and acknowledge my progress.  There was a time when this area was sparse.  If that is where you are, try thinking in terms of basic needs met; small things matter a lot, and you can be proud of those and write them down to recognize the positives.

For What is Draining, I list them all, but part of being realistic is not to become overwhelmed if there are a lot of items here. I pick one area that is most negatively impacting my life and focus there.  There may be others that are significant, but usually there is a similar thread between them. This will be where I will focus the most on being intentional and specific about what I want to change and set realistic actions as to how I can take small steps towards this change.  

What is on Autopilot is an interesting area.  These tend to be habits I have forgotten about or gently ignore.  Maybe I’m not willing to look at these or they are working well enough, so I just set them aside for “later.”  I list these out and identify the one I least want to address and the one that I think will be the easiest to modify.   

With my list or inventory, I spend time thinking, journaling, and seeking feedback to reflect on how best to approach what is draining me and what is on autopilot. I usually need a couple of days or a week to fully look at these areas from a variety of different angles, pause, and then come back to set my intentions for the coming year.  

The final step is to write out realistic intentions that are specific, actionable, and flexible.  Not every day is the same, so I build in flexibility to account for setbacks, remove rigid expectations and have check-in points to re-direct when old habits creep back.  

2026 trends point to an overall focus on Health & Wellness with balance and sustainable habits over drastic overhauls being common themes.  

If you would like help with 2026 intentions, feel free to reach out to me. Try to remember that change is slow. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. Investing in yourself is the best investment you can make.   

@Reinvention LLC, 2026, All Rights Reserved

For more reading, here are two articles from Psychology Today: How Permanent Behavior Change Really Works and Resolutions or Intentions: Which Lead to Genuine Change?