It is January, and that means everyone is talking about resolutions and wanting fresh starts, particularly around money. A big goal folks usually have in the new year is cutting back on their spending so they can save more for retirement, buy a house, make a move, or make some other big change, like going back to school.

And while these are really admirable goals for all of us, we sometimes feel pressured to make them, which ideally isn’t the way we want to make decisions about our lives. So I’d like to use this time to pause and think about a different way to approach the new year and how we decide to use the months ahead.

The first thing I want us to consider is that we don’t actually start a new year with a blank slate. Instead, we come into the new year with our own habits, our old stressors, our spending and saving patterns, and our experiences from the year before. So rather than thinking about the new year as a reset, I’d like to think about it as a continuation of the work we’ve already done.

With that framing in mind, I’d love to approach the year ahead a little differently by setting an intention rather than a financial goal. Goals are about outcomes, right? They answer the question, what do I want to achieve? They’re quantifiable and measurable, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But when we fall short of a goal, which is almost inevitable because life happens, we may feel like we’ve failed and then stop working toward it.

Intentions, on the other hand, are about direction. They answer the question, how do I want to move through the year? They’re a little less rigid and a little more supportive of actual change. They allow for flexibility, reflection, and adjustment as life unfolds, which feels especially important when we’re talking about money.

So with that in mind, I want to share an exercise I use in my own life, not just around money, but one that translates really well into our financial lives.

Each year, at the end of the year, my husband and I usually take some time over dinner to reflect on how that year went. We talk about everything we went through, what worked, what challenged us, and what surprised us. As part of that reflection, we choose a word or a phrase for the upcoming year, and then we look back on the word or phrase we chose for the prior year.

In other words, we revisit what that intention was. It’s not exactly a mantra, and it’s not a goal, but more a way of shaping an intention for the year ahead. The word represents that intention so we can easily return to it in small, everyday moments, like when we’re making decisions or responding to life as it happens.

Last year, my word of the year was creative. I wasn’t trying to become an artist, but I really wanted to bring creativity into my everyday life. That meant being open to experimenting and playing and being willing to try something new. That intention showed up in so many places, in my work, this podcast, conversations with our clients, even small things like what I cooked and what I ate. The word gave me both permission and motivation to approach life a little differently, which helped me live a richer and more engaged year.

It was in those little moments that the word showed up as a reminder to try something a little different, which is really where the value is. As I reflected on that, I asked myself what the next evolution might be for the upcoming year. After a lot of thought, my word, or really a phrase, for this year is “why not?”

For me, “why not?” is about expansiveness. It’s about noticing the places where I automatically say no to myself, especially when it comes to money and enjoyment, and gently questioning that reflex. It’s not about abandoning responsibilities or being reckless with money, but about allowing myself to say yes a little bit more often to things that feel fun or nourishing or creative or simply good.

The phrase came up for me in part because last year was so financially demanding. We went through a move and a renovation, both of which were expensive and draining in many ways, and much more disruptive than we had anticipated. Money felt like it was constantly flowing out the door, and there wasn’t much space for ease or enjoyment.

So “why not?” feels like the right counterbalance for the new year, and an invitation to reintroduce a little more lightness and possibility, not just in my relationship with money, but more broadly as I move forward.

I want to invite you to have a similar reflection about the year ahead before rushing into a new financial goal. Maybe take a moment to look back. What did you do over the past year or two that you’re proud of? Maybe it’s something tangible, like paying down debt or saving money, or finally making a decision you’d been avoiding.

But also look beyond the numbers. How has your relationship with money changed? Do you feel the same level of stress about money that you did before? Have you learned something new about your patterns or beliefs that’s helping you respond a little differently? Before focusing on what’s next, it can be really valuable to acknowledge where you are and how far you’ve come.

Now imagine setting resolutions aside for a moment. If you weren’t chasing a specific financial goal this year, what intention might guide your relationship with money? What phrase could serve as your compass in your decision making? Think about how that might support you differently in the year ahead.

Next month, we’ll pick up where we left off by exploring where our money beliefs come from and how they shape our choices, often without us even realizing it. But for now, I hope this gives you a gentler way to think about the year ahead, not as a reset, but as a continuation. See you next time.

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