Resolve for a good life

Happy New Year!

Something about the end of one year and the beginning of another invites reflection and renewal. What’s past is past, and it’s time for fresh starts. In that spirit, here are some New Year’s goals—and practical resources—to help you pursue a healthy and fulfilling life.

Affirm your mortality

We never know when God will call us home. Life’s milestone moments—births, graduations, weddings, funerals—remind us that time is precious and that change is constant. These occasions can motivate us to live with greater purpose.

Moses wrote, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” [Psalm 90:12, NIV]

Remembering that life is short not only spurs us toward positive change—it also relieves pressure. We are called to do our best with what we’re given, but we aren’t called to do it all. As Ecclesiastes 9:10 [NIV] reminds us: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.”

Long-term goals

In Living Forward, Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy introduce the idea of creating a Life Plan—a roadmap for living with intentionality. They suggest starting by imagining your own funeral: Who will be there? What do you hope they’ll say about your life?

Once you’ve pictured the legacy you want to leave, work backward. Prayerfully identify what truly matters in each major area of life and set goals that move you toward those outcomes. Hyatt also offers an online course and accompanying book, Your Best Year Ever, that provide a practical, step-by-step approach to goal setting.

Keep daily reminders

Studies show most New Year’s resolutions fade within weeks—not because people lack motivation, but because they lack systems that keep their goals visible.

Helpful productivity apps:

• Routine
• Sunsama
• TickTick

Stay physically fit

Regular exercise strengthens your heart, muscles, and bones; improves flexibility; and helps maintain a healthy weight. Beyond the physical, staying active reduces stress, elevates mood, and boosts energy—helping you feel your best inside and out.

Apps to support your fitness journey:

• MyFitnessPal
• FitOn
• Strava
• Hevy

Reap what you sow

You can’t plant apple seeds and expect bananas. Similarly, you can’t put garbage in your system and expect to be healthy. There is no magic pill or secret diet formula that results in optimum health. Lasting results come from nourishing, balanced nutrition and mindful eating.

Nutrition and meal-tracking apps:

• Cronometer
• Fooducate
• Noom
• Lifesum
• Yummly

Seek biblical healing

The principle of sowing and reaping applies not only to physical health, but also to our emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Scripture and modern research alike affirm the deep connection between body, mind, and spirit.

When people sought Jesus for healing, He often restored not only their bodies, but their hearts and souls as well. True health flows from inner wellbeing.

Apps for Scriptural meditation and spiritual growth:

• Pause
• Glorify: Devotional & Prayer
• Dwell: Audio Bible

Find an accountability partner

Don’t walk this journey alone. Share your goals with a trusted Christian and invite them to walk alongside you. Studies consistently show that people who sustain lasting progress—especially in areas like health and fitness—have three things in common: a clear plan, regular activity, and accountability.

As Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 [NIV] says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”

Make it an exceptional year—one lived with intention, wisdom, and faith.