The January Challenge: A Gentler Alternative to New Year’s Resolutions
Avoid the all-or-nothing trap! Try this 31-day experiment and discover a softer, smarter, more sustainable strategy for positive change.
A brand new calendar year is always exciting. The closer we get to the New Year, the more we think, like, Who do I want to be this time around? How do I want to show up differently? What new habits do I want to establish and what old habits do I want to banish for good?
New Year’s resolutions seem so promising at first! But too often we break them, or forget about them, or let them fade slowly away. And then we wind up feeling discouraged and duped, wondering if the whole idea of real positive change is too good to be true.
So, what if we try a new approach this year? What if, instead of making one big rule-that-can-never-be-broken, we try an experiment for 31 days and see how we feel?
Why New Year’s Resolutions So Often Fail
It’s in the execution. Rather than building the precarious, Jenga-like tower of a pass-or-fail resolution, James Clear (author of the mega bestseller Atomic Habits) teaches that making small changes, a little bit at a time, is what actually builds lasting and sustainable change.
He also teaches that when we focus on who we want to be, rather than what external outcome we want to achieve, we are far more successful at letting go of old habits and building new ones.
So the problem with New Year’s resolutions is that they are too often focused on doing too much, too soon. What’s more, they are made with the end result (rather than the moment-to-moment experience) in mind.
Enter The January Challenge
The January Challenge is the natural solution to these problems.
Instead of attempting to project your New Year’s enthusiasm throughout an entire 365 days, The January Challenge asks you to sustain your excitement for just 31. And instead of a do-or-die, make-it-all-the-way-or-the-whole-Jenga-tower-falls mentality, The January Challenge just requires a little curiosity, gentle commitment, and a willingness to explore possibilities.
The January Challenge is not an attempt to prove something, to yourself or anyone else. It’s simply data collection.
It’s a way of trying a new habit on for size and discovering what it feels like to be the person who has that habit. Because who knows! Maybe you will enjoy being that person so much, you will naturally want to carry on.
The benefit of making a plan for 31 days rather than 365 is that it will be easier to follow through, so you will feel encouraged rather than discouraged, which will fuel your forward momentum for even more positive change.
How to Do The January Challenge
Start by answering these questions in a notebook or journal.
- What is the challenge? In other words, what will you do or not do for the month of January? Choose just one challenge. (This will make you more likely to succeed, and you can always choose other challenges for future months.) And be sure not to define your challenge by external results (like how calm you will be) but by your day-to-day behavior (like how you will commit to a meditation practice or deep breathing exercises that will help you to be calm).
- What are the parameters of the challenge? For example, if it’s your goal to go on walks, how many days per week will you do it, and for how long? (Make sure to choose a modest and doable commitment level.) If it’s your goal not to buy any new clothes, are socks and underwear ok? What about shopping at thrift stores? (Remember! Start small. Give yourself a goal you can succeed at. You can always increase the challenge on February 1st if you feel like it.)
- Why do you want to try this challenge? What do you hope to gain, or how do you believe it will benefit you?
- How might this challenge transform you? How do you believe you will feel at the conclusion of this challenge, and how do you imagine your self-image and self-esteem may evolve as a result?
Think about what you’ve written and fine-tune your challenge and other answers as desired. Then, on an index card or separate piece of paper, summarize your answers to the first two questions. Post what you’ve written somewhere you will see it every day.
For example, you might write: “For the entire month of January, I will meditate Monday through Friday for at least five minutes.” Or, you might write, “January 1st through 31st I will not buy any new clothes at all, unless I actually need socks or underwear. (But I can make one trip to a thrift store and spend no more than $30 if I absolutely feel the need to shop.)”
The idea is to choose a challenge and parameters that feel challenging enough to be exciting, but not so challenging that you might not be able to stick to them.
January Challenge Ideas to Try This Year
You might already know what you want your January challenge to be. But if you don’t, here are some ideas to get you started.
Mind + Nervous System
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Spend 10 quiet, contemplative minutes a day without a phone, TV, or book.
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Slow down earlier in the evening – dim the lights and consciously relax.
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Answer one question in your journal daily, like “How can I take care of myself today?” or “What do I need right now?”
- Set boundaries around the news, for example you may choose to check it only once per day.
Energy + Attention
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Try Single-Tasking January (no multitasking whenever possible).
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Don’t scroll after dark: choose other activities like yoga, cooking, or reading a book.
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Only check your email at set times (not all day long).
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Try a social media detox by getting off one or all platforms for 31 days.
Money + Consumption
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Try a 31-Day Use What You Have Challenge to use up the food, toiletries, or beauty products you already have.
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Don’t buy any new clothes, furniture, or home decor for 31 days.
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All month long, do your best to repair or mend something before you replace it.
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Choose to only get your books from the library for the entire month. (If you love your Kindle, make sure to get Libby!)
Relationships + Speech
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See what happens if you don’t say an unkind word about anyone for 31 days.
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Don’t apologize all month unless you have a genuine reason to be sorry.
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Before bed, write down three things about your day you are grateful for.
- Pause before responding to invitations or offers so you can tune into what you actually want.
Body + Presence
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Take a daily walk or a 5-times-a-week walk (any length).
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Do yoga or stretch (daily or a certain number of days per week).
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Drink a certain amount of water per day.
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Try resting more, by going to bed earlier or taking regularly scheduled downtime.
Spiritual / Reflective
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Every day, look for one omen or message from the Universe. Write it down.
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Do a simple ritual daily, like this front door ritual for wealth or one of these coffee rituals.
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Meditate for 5 or 10 minutes a day.
How to Reflect at the End of the Month
On January 31st or February 1st, look back at the challenge you posted on that index card or sheet of paper. Answer the following questions in a journal or notebook:
- Did I follow through on this challenge? (Or did I get pretty close?)
- If so, how does it feel to know that? If not, why not and how might I adapt the challenge so that it’s easier to succeed moving forward? (Perhaps you can make it even easier so you will have a better chance at following through.)
- What positive changes have I noticed that may be a result of the changes I made this month?
- How do I see myself differently now?
- Would I like to continue with this habit?
- Would I like to start a new challenge for February, either by adapting this habit or taking on an entirely new one?
Well, I’m excited about The January Challenge. Are you? I’d love to hear your thoughts and plans. Please chime in below.
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