Happy New Year everyone! I can’t believe that it is 2026 already. All the old folks definitely told the truth when they said that time goes faster as you age. This time of year is the perfect moment to be introspective and recenter yourself to figure out what direction you want to head in. I am going to discuss what that looks like for me and how it is different from what I’ve done in the past.
Oftentimes my family and I will rehash certain events, struggles, memories, and themes from the prior year together as the new year approaches. My mom is very diligent with this and is usually the one who starts these reflective conversations. She gets us going by asking questions about our year and brings us to a mental space where we can learn from our experiences and move forward. For example, “How would you describe this past year in one word?” or “What is one phrase or word you want this next year to be, bring, or feel like?” One year (or maybe for a few years), my mom bought us supplies to make vision boards. Since I am not the most artistic person (and that’s putting it nicely), I wasn’t very open or excited to participate. What I did do, however, was write down a bunch of things I wanted to be intentional about and left it at that.
It’s easy to roll your eyes at New Year’s resolutions or anything related to that, you know? Especially as a kid or young adult. As I’m writing this, I’m realizing the beauty and potential of just how powerful moments like New Year’s, birthdays, and similar milestones can be for all of us. I consider myself a very habitual and intentional person, and because of that, I’ve created the space in my life to set goals, make plans, and—most importantly, self-reflect. Still, I haven’t always used New Year celebrations as an opportunity to truly hone in and create specific resolutions for myself. Not just one word or one phrase, but Five, Ten, Fifteen detailed things I want to happen—and that can happen if I do the right things. I’m sure you see memes about goals on New Year’s all the time on social media, but resolutions don’t have to be a joke or something we forget about by February. They can be things that shape the core of who we are until (and even well after) the next year comes around. That’s been my issue. I was never open to seeing resolutions as something truly powerful or helpful. I bought into the idea that they were unserious or not worthwhile.
From a football perspective, I’ve never struggled to see the importance of writing in-depth goals and plans at the beginning, middle, and end of each season. Honestly, I even do it on a weekly basis. And you know what? It’s done wonders for me. It’s helped me stay goal-oriented, track my improvements, and build on the natural ability I already have. So imagine if I applied that same approach to my personal life. Not just once a year, but on birthdays, anniversaries, or whenever I start a new journal—moments like that. I’m not only talking about reflecting on the past, although that’s important and something I already do. I want to add to that by being intentional and creating detailed goals based on the experiences I’ve had. It’s a bit dismaying to think about who I could have been if I’d realized these things sooner, but I’d rather start now than never. No negativity toward who I am now, I love the person I’ve become.
At the end of the day, things like New Year’s, holidays, and birthdays aren’t ordinary moments. They’re special opportunities to reflect on our lives with gratitude and intention, and to build a game plan for our goals so that when the next year comes around, we’re better people than we were before.
