Choosing Springtime for Resolutions

If you’ve watched my latest video, which you can find here, you’ll know that I’ve been reflecting on the idea of resolutions, and questioning whether January really is the best time of year to set them.

For me, spring has always felt like the true beginning of the year. While January often comes with pressure to reset, improve and push forward, spring arrives with a very different energy. It’s a season of renewal, growth and quiet optimism; one that supports change in a way winter rarely does.

In nature, nothing bursts into life in the depths of winter. Instead, there’s a period of rest, conservation and stillness. And for most of human history, we lived in close relationship with these seasonal rhythms. We instinctively knew when it was time to act and when it was time to slow down.

Modern life has pulled us away from that connection, but our bodies still remember.

Winter naturally invites us inward. Energy levels often dip, days are darker and colder, and our nervous systems tend to crave restoration rather than stimulation. Yet January resolutions frequently ask us to do the opposite: to exercise more, work harder, be more disciplined and overhaul our lives. All of this after many of us have put a lot of time and energy into the festive season.

It’s no wonder so many resolutions feel exhausting or unsustainable.

Spring, on the other hand, offers a supportive backdrop for change. As the light returns and nature begins to awaken, motivation often follows. Movement feels easier. Hope feels more accessible. Growth becomes visible all around us.

The spring equinox is a particularly powerful moment in this transition. It invites us to pause, reflect and consciously gather our energy for the year ahead. Rather than forcing change, we’re invited to grow alongside the season.

Wellbeing research increasingly supports this approach. We thrive when we work with our natural rhythms rather than against them. Periods of rest and reflection aren’t wasted time; they help regulate the nervous system, deepen learning and clarify what truly matters to us.

When it is actually time to set goals, authenticity becomes key. Living in alignment with who you truly are, rather than who you think you should be, is strongly linked to wellbeing. That process begins with understanding your values. What genuinely matters to you? What gives your life meaning?

When goals are shaped around those values, they tend to feel more grounded, more sustainable and more deeply fulfilling. They don’t just give us something to strive for, they strengthen our sense of identity and purpose.

I’ll be exploring this idea of values, authenticity and seasonal goal-setting much more as we move closer to spring. For now, I hope January offers you permission to rest, to be gentle with yourself and to move at a pace that feels supportive rather than forced.

Wishing you a calm and peaceful start to the year. Take care.