Every year, people set goals for the New Year. Me? I gave that up a long time ago. Instead, I focus on implementing one small change, because I truly believe this: “If you change one thing, you can change your life.”
New Year’s resolutions feel overrated to me. They’re often big, overwhelming, and short-lived. What works better, (at least for me) is changing habits, one at a time. Quit one habit. Replace it with a healthier one. Over time, those small changes add up and quietly reshape your life.
Create New Habits (One at a Time)
They say it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days to break a habit or create a new one. Each year, I choose one habit I want to stop and intentionally replace it with something healthier.
This year, I chose to blog instead of playing mobile games. I’ve played one particular game, “June’s Journey,” off and on for over four years. I decorated islands, obtained land, and searched for clues. I played between my Tutoring classes, during my grandson’s school time, and sometimes even in the car with my family. I’ve spend many hours playing video games and I realized that time could have been used for writing.
Recently, I removed the game from my phone and deleted all the content. I made it almost impossible to go back. I’d have to start from level one. That was intentional and would be so annoying. I decided to replace that time with blogging—something I love and have deeply missed, but kept putting it off. My hope is that this one simple change will help me stay consistent and spend my time in a way that feels meaningful again. And here’s the thing: when one good habit sticks, others tend to follow. I love a good plan.
If One Change Isn’t Enough, Pick Five
In the past, I trained real estate agents, and one piece of advice I often shared was this: pick five things you want to change and start there. Some people thrive on big goals and long lists. I genuinely admire that. But I’ve learned that I’m not one of those people. For me, large lists feel overwhelming. When I see them, my mind jumps to, “I’m not good enough the way I am. I have to change everything.” And then I freeze. Or worse, I focus so intensely on self-improvement that the rest of life, work, school, family, deadlines are sometimes neglected. Life already comes with plenty of pressure. Adding more can feel exhausting. While the “pick five” method worked for me for a few years, for the past six years I’ve lived by one simple idea:
Change one thing and let it change your life.
It works for me. How about you? Are you a resolutions person, or a habit-changer like me? I’d love to hear your thoughts.