If Your New Year’s Resolution Already “Failed,” You’re Right on Time

Every January, people make New Year’s resolutions with genuine hope, and then many feel a familiar wave of disappointment when those resolutions unravel a few weeks later. This is often framed as a personal failing or character flaw. But it's not that we are weak, but rather that the ask was ill-timed and unfair. We can't really be expected to radically change ourselves right after enduring the emotional, social, financial, and relational stress of the holiday season. That is not a failure of willpower, it's a predictable human response. But there is another opportunity for new beginnings, one that arrives a little later and asks something far more doable of us.

Imbolc, celebrated on February 1, is a Celtic tradition that comes from watching nature and noticing life as it actually unfolds. It coincides with the small but meaningful shifts happening around us right now. The light returning even though winter is not over, and that signs of life are beginning underground long before anything looks successful or complete on the surface. 

In much the same way, many people notice something subtle in themselves around this time of year. A faint sense of readiness. A small return of energy. A quiet thought that says, “I could begin again, but more honestly.” This kind of noticing is not accidental. It is how humans naturally orient toward change when pressure eases and attention returns.

Traditionally, Imbolc was a time of clearing and preparation. Homes were cleaned, hearth fires were tended and candles were lit to honor the growing light. In modern life, this often translates to organizing work, resetting routines, and making small practical changes that make daily care easier. It's not about reinvention or bold declarations. It's about recommitting to care, warmth, and what will need steady attention in the weeks ahead. The symbolism is practical and compassionate. Begin again, but gently. Prepare the ground before expecting growth.

Seen this way, beginning again in February is not giving up on January intentions. It's choosing a rhythm that respects our human limits and natural cycles. Changes that lasts don't grow out of self-judgment. They grow out of awareness. If this perspective resonates, you might let it soften how you speak to yourself and consider what kind of beginning feels possible now, without forcing it to look impressive. 

Wishing you all an Imbolc New Year of renewal and steadiness.