25 Realistic New Year’s Resolutions That Stick (No BS Edition)

Okay, let’s talk about New Year’s resolutions for a second. You know how it goes, right? January 1st rolls around, you’re feeling motivated, maybe a little hungover, and you declare that THIS is the year you’re going to completely transform your life. You’re going to hit the gym every single day, learn fluent Spanish, read 100 books, and basically become a whole new person.

Then it’s January 15th and you’re eating pizza rolls on your couch, wondering what happened to all that motivation.

Yeah, me too. We’ve all been there.

Here’s the thing, though. Resolutions aren’t the problem. The problem is we set ourselves up to fail by making them way too big, too vague, or just plain unrealistic. So this year, let’s do something different. Let’s set goals that actually make sense for real human beings with jobs and Netflix subscriptions and a genuine love for sleeping in.

These 25 resolutions are designed to stick because they’re specific, manageable, and honestly? Kind of hard to mess up. Ready? Let’s do this.

Health & Fitness (Without Losing Your Mind)

Save

1. Drink One Extra Glass of Water Daily

Forget chugging a gallon of water like you’re training for a desert marathon. Just add one more glass than you’re drinking now. That’s it. Keep a water bottle at your desk, fill it up once, drink it by lunch. Done.

Why it works: You’re not overhauling your entire life, just tweaking it slightly. Plus, you’ll probably feel better without even trying that hard.

2. Take a 10-Minute Walk Three Times a Week

Not every day. Not an hour. Just 10 minutes, three times a week. Around the block, through your office building, wherever. Put on a podcast or some music and just move.

Real talk: You can find 10 minutes. I promise. Even if it means walking while you scroll through TikTok.

3. Eat Vegetables at Dinner Four Nights a Week

Notice I didn’t say “become a vegetarian” or “only eat kale.” Just add some veggies to your dinner four times a week. Throw some broccoli on your plate. Toss a salad. Add peppers to your stir-fry. Small wins, people.

Pro tip: Frozen veggies totally count and they’re way easier than pretending you’ll prep fresh ones.

4. Go to Bed 30 Minutes Earlier on Weeknights

You don’t need to suddenly become a 9 PM bedtime person. Just shift your current bedtime back by 30 minutes. Set an alarm on your phone to start winding down. Future you will be so grateful.

5. Learn One Simple Healthy Recipe Each Month

By the end of the year, you’ll have 12 new meals you can make. That’s actually pretty impressive. Start with something easy like a basic stir-fry or a sheet pan dinner.

Resources to check:

• Budget Bytes: https://www.budgetbytes.com (seriously life-changing)
• Cookie and Kate: https://cookieandkate.com (healthy but actually tasty)

Money Stuff (That Won’t Make You Cry)

Save

6. Save $5 Every Week

That’s it. Just five bucks. By the end of the year, you’ll have $260, which is way more than you’d have otherwise. Set up an automatic transfer to a savings account and forget about it.

The math: $5 × 52 weeks = $260. Look at you being financially responsible!

7. Brown Bag Lunch Once a Week

You don’t have to meal prep like an Instagram influencer. Just bring lunch from home one day a week instead of buying it. Even if it’s just a sandwich, you’re saving probably $10-15 a week.

Reality check: That’s potentially $520-$780 a year. For making sandwiches. Wild, right?

8. Review Your Subscriptions Every Three Months

Set a reminder on your phone for March, June, September, and December. Check your bank statement and cancel anything you’re not actually using. Do you really need three streaming services? (Okay, maybe you do, but check anyway.)

9. Put Spare Change in a Jar

Old school, but it works. Every time you use cash, toss the change in a jar. At the end of the year, roll it up or take it to a coin machine. It’s like free money you forgot you had.

10. Track Your Spending for Just One Week Each Quarter

You don’t need to track every penny all year long. Just pick one week every three months and write down what you spend. You’ll start noticing patterns without making yourself miserable.

Tools that help:

• Mint: https://www.mint.com (free budgeting app)
• YNAB (You Need A Budget): https://www.ynab.com (costs money but people swear by it)

Mental Health & Self-Care (The Important Stuff)

11. Say No to One Thing Per Month That You Don’t Want to Do

This one’s huge. Practice saying no to obligations that drain you. You don’t have to go to every party, every event, every gathering. Pick one thing a month and just… don’t go. Stay home in your pajamas instead.

Script to use: “I really appreciate the invite, but I won’t be able to make it. Have a great time though!”

12. Delete Social Media Apps One Day Per Week

Pick a day, any day. Delete Instagram, TikTok, whatever from your phone for 24 hours. You can always re-download it. See how it feels to not scroll mindlessly for a whole day.

Fair warning: The first time is weird. The second time is easier. By the third time, you might actually enjoy it.

13. Text One Friend Just to Check In Each Week

Not a group text. Not a meme. An actual “hey, how are you doing?” message to one friend. Rotate through your people. Friendships need maintenance, and this is super low effort.

14. Spend 5 Minutes Tidying Before Bed

Just five minutes. Put dishes in the dishwasher, toss clothes in the hamper, clear off the coffee table. Waking up to a less chaotic space honestly changes your whole morning vibe.

15. Try One New Relaxation Technique Every Two Months

Deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation apps, whatever. You don’t have to stick with it if you hate it. Just try something new every couple of months until you find what actually helps you chill out.

Free resources:

• Headspace (has free content): https://www.headspace.com
• Calm (free version available): https://www.calm.com
• UCLA Free Guided Meditations: https://www.uclahealth.org/programs/marc/free-guided-meditations

Learning & Growth (Fun Edition)

Save

16. Read 15 Minutes Before Bed Twice a Week

Not every night. Just twice a week. Real books, e-books, audiobooks, whatever works. You’ll probably finish a book every month or so without even trying that hard.

What counts: Literally anything you enjoy reading. Fantasy novels? Great. Mystery books? Perfect. Self-help? Sure. Comic books? Absolutely.

17. Watch One Documentary a Month

Make it fun. Pick topics you’re actually curious about. True crime, nature, history, weird niche hobbies, whatever floats your boat.

Where to find them:

• Netflix has tons
• YouTube has free documentaries: https://www.youtube.com
• PBS has great stuff: https://www.pbs.org

18. Learn Five New Words in Another Language Each Week

Use a language app for literally five minutes. That’s 260 words by the end of the year. You won’t be fluent, but you’ll know way more than you do now.

Free apps:

• Duolingo: https://www.duolingo.com (gamified and actually fun)
• Memrise: https://www.memrise.com (great for vocabulary)

19. Try One New Recipe, Restaurant, or Cuisine Every Month

Get out of your comfort zone a little. Try Thai food if you’ve never had it. Make homemade pasta. Order from that weird looking place down the street. Food adventures count as personal growth.

20. Take a Photo of Something That Made You Smile Each Week

Start a folder on your phone. One photo per week of anything that brought you joy. Your dog being goofy, a pretty sunset, your friend making a dumb face, whatever. Look back at it when you’re having a rough day.

Relationships & Connection (The Mushy Stuff)

Save

21. Have One Phone Call With Family or Friends Each Week

Not texting. An actual phone call. Even if it’s just 10 minutes while you’re doing dishes or walking somewhere. Voice-to-voice connection hits different than texts.

22. Write One Thank You Note Per Month

Email counts. Handwritten is nice but not required. Thank someone who did something nice for you, helped you out, or just made your life better in some small way.

Why this matters: It feels good to be appreciated. You’re literally spreading joy. Also, people remember this stuff.

23. Plan One Low-Key Hangout Each Month

Coffee with a friend, game night at someone’s house, a walk in the park, whatever. Just one intentional hangout per month where you’re actually present and not just running into people randomly.

24. Tell Someone You Appreciate Them Once a Week

Your partner, your kid, your coworker, your mail carrier, whoever. Just tell someone “hey, I appreciate you” or “thanks for being cool” or whatever feels natural. Spread those good vibes.

Personal Development (Without the Cringe)

25. Reflect on Your Week for 5 Minutes Every Sunday

Sit down with coffee or tea and just think about your week. What went well? What sucked? What do you want to do differently next week? You don’t even have to write it down if you don’t want to.

Optional: Keep a simple notes app on your phone with bullet points. Looking back after a few months is actually pretty cool.

Making These Actually Stick: The Real Strategy

Okay, so you’ve got 25 ideas. Here’s how to not abandon them all by February.

Pick THREE to Start

I know, I gave you 25 options. But seriously, only pick three to focus on for the first month. You can always add more later. Starting small is how you actually build habits that last.

My suggestion: Pick one from health, one from mental health, and one from the fun category. That’s a balanced approach that won’t overwhelm you.

Write Them Down Somewhere You’ll See Them

Sticky note on your mirror, reminder in your phone, whatever. Out of sight equals out of mind. Make them visible.

Tell Someone About Your Goals

Accountability helps. Tell a friend, post about it, whatever. When someone else knows, you’re more likely to follow through. It’s just psychology, baby.

Track It Super Simply

Don’t get fancy with complicated spreadsheets. Use your phone’s notes app, print a simple calendar and put X’s on days you do the thing, or use a habit tracking app.

Simple tracking apps:

• Habitica: https://habitica.com (gamifies your habits)
• Streaks (iOS): https://streaksapp.com
• Loop Habit Tracker (Android, free): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.isoron.uhabits

Give Yourself Grace

You’re going to miss days. You’re going to forget. You’re going to have weeks where everything falls apart. That’s normal. That’s human. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s progress. Just start again the next day.

The Truth About Resolutions

Here’s what nobody tells you about New Year’s resolutions: they’re not actually about January 1st. They’re about deciding to make a change and then showing up for it, even when it’s boring, even when you don’t feel like it, even when nobody’s watching.

The magic isn’t in the resolution itself. It’s in the tiny, consistent actions you take day after day. It’s in the choice to try again after you mess up. It’s in celebrating the small wins along the way.

These 25 resolutions? They’re realistic because they’re built for real life. They account for the fact that you’re busy, tired, stressed, and already doing your best. They don’t require you to become a different person. They just ask you to be a slightly improved version of yourself.

And honestly? That’s way more achievable than becoming a completely different person by February.

Your Move

So here’s my challenge to you: Pick three of these resolutions right now. Write them down. Not later. Not tomorrow. Right now.

Then do one of them today. Drink that extra glass of water. Text a friend. Take a 10-minute walk. Something. Anything. Just start.

Because the best time to start was yesterday, but the second best time is right now. And you deserve to have a year where you actually stick to the goals you set for yourself.

You’ve got this. For real. These aren’t scary impossible resolutions that require you to be perfect. They’re small, doable steps that add up to real change.

Let’s make this the year you actually keep your resolutions, not because you’re suddenly superhuman, but because you were smart enough to set realistic ones in the first place.

Now go pick your three. I’ll be over here doing the same thing, probably while eating pizza rolls. We’re all works in progress, and that’s perfectly fine. 🎉

---

P.S. — If you only remember one thing from this whole article, let it be this: Small, consistent changes beat massive overhauls every single time. You don’t need to reinvent yourself. You just need to show up.