Ditch Resolutions. Set Habits.

The new year often brings hope and excitement. But it also brings one thing that many dread...

New Year's Resolutions.

What is it about these lofty goals for the coming year that has caused them to become such a parody of themselves? Any conversation about them is inevitably followed by some quip about how they'll all be broken by February. Goal setting is good, but the data suggests these resolutions rarely help us accomplish our goals.

The trouble with New Year's resolutions is they're too distant, too vague, too rigid, and too intractable. That's why I finally decided to not set any resolutions this year.

I know, I know. I'll give you a moment to peel yourself off the ceiling.

Instead of resolutions, I've chosen some daily habits to work on. They're actionable, meaning they're directly within my control to accomplish each day. They're specific so I know for sure whether or not I've accomplished them each day. They're flexible; if I decide I've mastered one habit or that a different one would serve me better, I can change it. And they're renewable. I know I'm not going to be perfect, but if I miss a day that doesn't mean I've failed. I can try again the very next day (instead of counting the entire year as a loss).

Each person's daily habits should reflect the change they'd most like to see in themselves. But if you're curious, I'm happy to share the five daily habits I've chosen to start the year with:

• Draw every day for at least ten minutes, but more when possible.

Write every day, again for at least ten minutes.

Organize or cleanup for ten minutes per day. That could mean my home, my office, or my digital life (email, etc.).

Limit added sugars to 24 grams or fewer per day. I have a serious sweet tooth, but I know I feel better when I eat better. (I will allow myself one free day per week though. Let's not get too crazy!)

Write in my journal every day and reflect on what went well, what wasn't so good, and what I'm grateful for.

There are dozens of other things I'd like to work on, but for now I'm sticking with just a few. As these habits become automatic, I'll swap them out for something else. Some of them may seem really small or easy, but that's by design. It means I have no excuse! And the funny thing about baby steps is once you take one step, it's easier to take another.

The important thing is that these small habits serve a much larger purpose, one of which is to deliver high quality content to my audience. I invite you to follow along with me and join the community where you can an exclusive, up close look at my own journey as well as the stories I produce along the way.

I'd encourage anyone to adopt a similar practice of picking a handful of daily habits they'd like to work on. Once you do, tell someone and track your progress. Don't stress if you don't do as well as you hope at first. You'll get better the more you keep at it!

Your buddy Lark believes in you!