Becky Longacre: How to Stick to Your New Year’s Resolutions in 2026

By Becky Longacre

Every January, we all seem to magically transform into ultra-motivated versions of ourselves. We buy the fancy planners, sign up for gym memberships, and declare, “This year will be different!” 

Becky Longacre

But by February, the yoga mat is collecting dust and cookies have quietly replaced kale chips. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone – but 2026 can truly be your year, especially when you tap into the power of a growth mindset in order to achieve sustainable change.

First off, let’s keep things light. New Year’s resolutions shouldn’t feel like a root canal. Instead, think of them as opportunities to explore, learn, and grow. A growth mindset is all about believing that your abilities and habits can improve over time with effort and practice – not expecting perfection from day one. So, if your goal is to run a 5K, maybe just commit to running for five minutes to start. Progress is what counts, not instant success!

Set achievable micro-goals and then celebrate when you hit them. Why? Because celebrating even your partial success showers your brain with dopamine, the feel-good reward neurotransmitter. This primes you to want to try again. By rewarding yourself for little wins you’ll start associating your new habits with positive feelings, making it much easier to keep going. Just make sure the rewards are healthy instead of unhealthy.

Mistakes are part of the journey. Missed a day at the gym? Accidentally binged a whole season of your favorite show instead of reading that new self-help book? No worries! A growth mindset says, “What can I learn from this?” rather than giving up completely. View setbacks as stepping stones not roadblocks. Each misstep is a chance to tweak your approach and try again – maybe with a new playlist for your workouts or a reading buddy for accountability.

Finally, remember that life will happen. What worked in January might not make sense in June. Adjust your goals as you learn more about yourself and what motivates you. What works for Susie Q may not work for you and that is OK. With a growth mindset, sticking to your New Year’s resolutions isn’t about rigidly following a script – it’s about enjoying the process, picking yourself up when you stumble, and ultimately transforming into a better version of yourself, one small win at a time.

So here’s to 2026: a year of fresh starts, flexibility, and plenty of growth. Happy New Year – and may your resolutions bring you health and happiness!

Becky Longacre is a Nurse Coach for Health Transformers LLC. Send her questions at [email protected] or call her at 207-400-7897. Visit her website at www.healthtransformersmaine.com" <