Though the days lengthen slightly after the winter solstice, January remains a month of short, cold days with a spattering of wet snow. This week has been particularly dreary; Christmas lights have dimmed, and trees have been taken down and collected. With the last remnants of greenery fading, my body, like the animals around me, seems to be in full hibernation mode. And yet, all around me, the pressure to set ambitious New Year’s resolutions has filled advertisements and my social media feeds.
Am I the only one who has tried and failed at New Year's Resolutions year after year? I have made lofty goals—"I’m going to lose a lot of weight," or "I’ll hit the gym at 5 a.m. every day"—but the moment that alarm goes off in pitch darkness, my resolve flies out the (very icy) window. I’ve promised myself I’d stretch daily, learn a new language, and so on, only to have my willpower crumble within a week or two.
In the last couple of years, I’ve become more attuned to the seasonal rhythms of life. A crisp winter day can be invigorating, but it’s not the time for great, energetic action. Now that is not to say that I don't still appreciate winter activity, like brisk walks at the nature reserve, skiing in the Alps, or a sweaty gym session and sauna to warm my bones, but those plans and goals that demand a whole new discipline of physical effort? I save them for spring, when the earth and I can awaken together.
Despite my aversion to conventional resolutions, I do believe a new year offers a wonderful opportunity to reflect on who we are now. Incremental shifts in our preferences, habits, and lives deserve attention, and winter is perfect for introspection. Instead of setting high-pressure resolutions, I’ve crafted cozy "anti-resolutions" that honor the restful season while laying foundations for future growth.
Here are my 2025 cozy anti-resolutions:
Stop Complaining About Being Too Busy
This year I want to stop saying "I have any time" and complaining about how busy I am all the time. Working a full time corporate job that is both mentally and emotionally exhausting can really challenge my mental stamina. What happens is that I end up convincing myself that I am too busy to do anythign rejuventating, so instead I end up stealing a moment to sit on my phone. Next thing I know it's been 45 mins of time that did not contribute to my wellbeing and leaves my attention span even more depleted.
Instead of always framing negatively, I’ll focus on the abundance of time I do have—even if it’s just ten minutes for a mindful coffee or fifteen minutes to walk around the block.
In some ways this goes along with my now routine gratitude habit, but I really encourage you all to try re-framing the same situations from scarcity to abundance, especially so we can enjoy the minutes we have and fill them with joy.
The Season of Books
"There is an exception to every rule, and rule for every exception" seems to apply to this anti-resolution, as it may seem a bit more ambitions than my other intentions, but I find that January and February are the absolute best months for tackling my reading list.
The past two years have been engulfed with work to the point that I just felt guilty if I was thinking about or doing anything else, so my reading habit suffered and as a result, I suffered. I’m my best, happiest self when I have a steady reading habit, as it is the only time my brain really can just turn off and get lost in a good story.
In Iceland they have a tradition of giving books for Christmas (Jolabokaflod) and then staying up to read late into the night. While I cherish my Christmas plans, this would be my absolute dream New Year's Eve. When we eventually have children, I will happliy trade parties for the excuse to stay home, crack a new book spine, and read my way into the new year (maybe with a cheeky glass of Champagne on the side).
So my anti-resolution this year isn't to just "read more" but curate a little pile of books that I am excited to dive into, and approach my reading time as a hygge self-care practice.
Instead of vaguely resolving to "read more," I’m curating a small, intentional pile of books and making reading a hygge practice—soft blankets, warm tea, and twinkling lights included. Do you read more this time of year? I’d love your recommendations.
Sleep, for Winter, Groundbreaking.
This might sound like the laziest, but it is probably the most important anti-resolution for 2025: that's getting my sleep hygiene in order. As we already discussed, Winter is a natural time for rest, and prioritizing sleep can massively improve our overall physical and mental wellbing. Scarficing sleep or just surviving in a state of deepleted cortisol is not only linked to numerous health risks, but it also hinders me from accomplishing the broader goals I want to achieve.
So this year, I am allowing myself to have an indulgent bedtime wind-down. I stocked up on a silly supply of natural beeswax taper candles to get my bedtime reading ambience right. I sorted through my drawers and kept only the lounge and sleep wear that makes me feel comforted, not just comfortable. I also invested in a spinal alignment pillow to keep myself from crunching my shoulders and ginding my teeth while I sleep.
Not to overlook my olfactory senses (sense of smell), I have taken to burning a little Palo Santo during my wind-down time. I never understood the hype, but in my very non-scientific experience I found myself sleeping like a rock after every time I used it. Unfortunately, my husband is less fond of the smell, so I usually settle for a pillow spray alternative, of which I can recommend the "This Works" Deep Sleep Pillow Spray, which blends lavender with vetiver and camomile.
But finally what will be the hardest but most necessary will be setting my phone away from me early so I am not tempted to just scroll pinterest when I cant immediately fall asleep. For now it is still my alarm clock, so my current solution will be to put it on the window sill behind my blackout curtains so that it can still charge and forces me to see daylight to get it in the morning. This might be the anti-resolution that requires the most discipline.
Embrace Treats
Instead of having a resolution "to drink less coffee" or eat less sugar, I want to make each of those experiences really count in terms of the pleasure that I get from them. They need to be a real treat, not just something that I mindlessly consume. I will take a note from the French girls and not deprive myself of the occasional dessert, but if I am going to eat sugar or ingest caffine, it should be excellent.
Rather than inhaling giant cups of black coffee, I would rather have one well crafted matcha latte. Why would I even want to eat a dry and unsatisfying cookie from my office kitchen? I will instend less frequently allow myself to indulge in an excellently delicious dessert from a local bakery with no shame, so I know what a real treat is, and skip the needless sugar in the interim. Overall I will be more satisfied, and hopefully healthier as well.
5. Curate Cozy Dinner Gatherings
During the week between Christmas and New Year I had a lovely slow afternoon cooking beef bourguignon from scratch to host a small gathering of friends for dinner. It is a dish that is straightforward but focuses on great quality ingrediants, and is so so so cozy. It is the kind of meal that just puts your soul right. We had champagne and warm candle light and it was simply delightful.
I would love to do this more often, perhaps once a month, a recurring, low-pressure dinner with a rotation of friends. We can really take a moment to slow down, focus on good conversation and simple food, over a long Leisurely evening. It will allow me to serve my friends and famiy in a way that brings me joy, but hopefully also makes them feel deeply cared for.
Conclusion
As the year begins, it’s easy to get caught up in all the things we think we should be starting—but we are smack in the middle of a season that calls for slowing down. Instead of chasing resolutions, let’s honor soulful intentions, whether it’s making time for a book, savoring a shared meal, or taking a well deserved nap, these cozy, intentional moments are the foundations for the vibrant energy in year to come.
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