Lifestyle Changes, Goal Setting & Mental Wellbeing

Making lifestyle changes at any time of year can be challenging — and January is no exception.

Just because it’s the new year, it doesn’t mean you have to change anything at all. January sits in the heart of winter, a time when many of us naturally want to slow down, rest, and retreat. For that reason alone, it’s not always the easiest moment to make lifestyle changes. If you do want to set goals, however, there are ways to do so that feel more realistic and supportive.

January was named after the Roman god Janus, who had two faces: one looking forward and one looking back.

How can memory and imagination support lifestyle change?

It’s traditional in December and January to reflect on the year just gone, while also thinking about what we might want to do differently in the year ahead. In doing so, we draw on two powerful internal resources: memory and imagination.

Together, these are a strong force for change. At Suffolk Mind, we often say that imagination is stronger than willpower.

Resolutions and realistic goal-setting for lifestyle changes

If you make New Year’s resolutions, they’re more likely to stick when they’re grounded in your own experience.

For example, if you want to be more physically active in 2026, you might use your memory to think back to a time when you actually enjoyed exercise. What games did you like playing at school? Did you prefer swimming or running? Team sports, or something more informal — like hitting a tennis ball against a wall?

As well as remembering the activity itself, try recalling how you felt at the time. Then, using your imagination, picture yourself doing something similar again now.

If you’ve never enjoyed going to the gym — or you know realistically that you won’t have time to attend regularly — there’s little benefit in resolving to join one. Even a free trial can end up reinforcing feelings of failure if it doesn’t fit with your life.

You can set goals at any time of the year

Personally, I don’t tend to make New Year’s resolutions. I know I’m unlikely to keep them — and more importantly, I don’t believe change needs to be tied to a particular date.

Instead, the most important aspect of any change is that it’s achievable and realistic. When possible, it also helps to link it to a positive memory and imagine a future where the change feels sustainable and rewarding.

If you’ve already made a New Year’s resolution, how can you give yourself the best chance of keeping it? And if you’ve already broken it, that’s okay — you can always start again from today.

Beyond physical activity: behavioural and leadership goals

Lifestyle change doesn’t have to focus on physical health alone.

You might think back to a leader, manager, or colleague you particularly respected. What was it about them that made you feel valued or supported? What behaviours did they role-model? Can you imagine yourself adopting some of those behaviours at work?

Or perhaps there’s a friend or family member who you admire. Making a resolution to be a little more like them — occasionally, and realistically — can be just as meaningful.

Whatever change you’re considering, and whatever time of year you choose to begin, it can help to put your “Janus hat” on: look back to a memory that represents the change you want, and look forward by imagining yourself living it out.

How can coaching support goal-setting and change?

Coaching isn’t only about talking through past challenges or current difficulties. It can also be a valuable space to explore future plans, goals, and personal development.

Talking with someone non-judgemental and unbiased about your goals, your steps towards them, and the potential hurdles you might face can make change feel more achievable. Our executive coaches are trained psychotherapists who specialise in goal-setting and behaviour change.

You can read more about our coaching service here.