Reflection > Resolution: My Recommendation for Starting a New Year

for bookkeepers for business owners Dec 30, 2025

Pause. Can we talk about how wild is it that we are already at the cusp of a new year?

A lot of people are already gearing up to write down their resolutions for the upcoming year. However, if you’re anything like me, you’re probably not the kind of person who sets resolutions willy-nilly. Instead, I like to start with reflecting on the year prior.

I always start my new year by looking back. I sit and I identify what worked, what didn't work, and what I want to change going into this new year.

Here’s how I recommend leaving 2025 to enter 2026 on the right foot.

Looking Back Before Moving Forward

In case it wasn’t clear yet, I am an analytical person. I'm a bookkeeper, and I often look to the numbers to tell the stories. By looking at their books, a business owner can plainly see what went well, what went wrong, and what needs to be adjusted as they start a fresh year.

However, identifying those same things in your life isn’t always as easy. There aren’t always numbers to spell it out for you.

Instead, it’s about looking back and asking yourself things like…

How pressured am I feeling in my life right now?
What did I spend my time doing this year?
Did I use my time intentionally, or did I let myself get swept away in the busyness?
How powerfully am I able to show up in my life under my current circumstances? What changes, if any, need to be made to those circumstances?

Once I’ve done this reflection, I can then move forward into setting some goals. I like to do this in threes: I choose three things I want to drop, and three things I want to adopt.

I’m going to share my list today in hopes that it will inspire you as you make your own list. So, to begin…

Three Things I’m Dropping in 2026

Overthinking

I would definitely like to leave overthinking behind in 2025.

I am a chronic overthinker. And while I had some real things that required real headspace this year, I went too far and allowed myself to get sucked into the vicious cycle of overthinking.

I love thinking. I am someone who thinks things through thoroughly, and I love that. However, at some point, thinking can turn into spiraling. And once you start spiraling, your train of thought is no longer going to be helpful or productive.

So while I love thinking things through, and I'm going to allow myself to continue to think deeply and critically, I'm not going to allow myself to spend as much time thinking in 2026. Because looking back, it resulted in me thinking a lot more than I acted in 2025, and I believe that was to my own detriment.

Perfectionism

Another trap that I fell into in 2025 was perfectionism…which, of course, was perpetuated by the overthinking.

The more that I thought about different ideas, the more I wanted things to be perfect. The more I wanted things to be perfect, the more I ruminated on and perfected those ideas instead of taking action.

Perfectionism brings a whole negative ripple effect along with it. Firstly, I'm not able to create and execute all the things that I want when I spend that long thinking instead of doing. Secondly, I'm not able to help all of the people that I want to help that way.

When you’re trapped in inaction by perfectionism, you’re not helping anyone. Something is always better than nothing, even if the “something” isn’t perfect.

Seeking External Validation

Lastly, I want to stop seeking external validation in 2026.

I want to stop acting like I need someone else to give me permission to act on my ideas and desires. It is my job to give myself permission to trust myself and to take action—and as an adult, it’s your job to do the same for yourself. No one has to validate your choices for you.

Three Things I’m Adopting in 2026

Messy Action

Instead of overthinking, I want to take messy action. I want to condense the time that I think about what I'm going to do and increase the time I spend in motion toward that goal.

Here’s the truth: messy action is where perfection is actually created.

You'll never perfect anything before you actually start it. You’ll perfect it after you start taking steps to make it a reality. The action is what reveals the flaws you’re trying so hard to hammer out before you even begin.

Self-Conviction

Next, I am going to adopt conviction. I don't need external validation—I need to source my own conviction that what I am doing is worthwhile.

Decisiveness

Lastly, I want to adopt decisiveness.

I want to drop the need for perfection and allow myself to say yes to my own ideas. I do not need anybody authorizing my decisions before I make them, and neither do you.

Take Control of 2026

As a final reminder: we are not at the mercy of the upcoming year. We have a lot of power in what the tone of our year will turn out to be.

We don't have control over all of our circumstances. We will not always have it easy. We will not always have it fun. Sometimes bad things are going to happen. But we have a choice in how we respond to those things.

We have a choice in what bad habits we carry with us from 2025. We have a choice in what good habits we want to build in 2026. And if something didn’t work for us this year, it’s our responsibility to leave it behind and make a different choice.

Start with three. If you think of more, keep the list going. I’m cheering you on every step of the way.

Have a very happy New Year, friends!

EPISODE RESOURCES:

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