Reset season: 26 resolutions for 2026

The dictionary says a resolution is a firm decision to do or not do something. It mentions nothing about New Year’s, yet resolutions only rear their heads at this time of year.

There are no St. Patrick’s Day resolutions or Halloween resolutions — just New Year’s resolutions. And nearly all of them come in the form of doing something more or less, rather than all the time or not at all.

For instance, a writer might resolve to not start so many stories with, “The dictionary says … ” (The one above, it should be noted, is the only time in 2025 I have done that, and I am not going to look back further; if anything, I should be using that more.)

On a writing note, I might make a resolution this year to finish a book. I could write a book about that one. I just wouldn’t finish it.

According to reclaim.ai, roughly 52% of resolutions worldwide tie in some way to physical health. Most are ended by the “mid-January wobble.” The website also defines the second Friday of January — that’s Jan. 9 this year — as Quitter’s Day.

There are plenty of other things you can do throughout the year that have nothing to do with health, money or stress. You don’t have to do them every day, either.

So without further ado, in no particular order, other than alphabetical, and in honor of 2026, here are 26 resolutions you might want to try:

—Be nicer. We all could be a lot nicer, and it’s so easy. Compliment someone every day. Hold a door. Wave to someone who let you through an intersection. The ways are countless, and you’ll feel good afterward.

—Call more, text less, especially parents and loved ones. Mom loves hearing from you. She loves the sound of your voice even more. Texting is impersonal and lazy.

—Celebrate accomplishments, yours and theirs. Do a good job cutting the grass? Slap yourself a high-five. The whole neighborhood is enjoying how that looks. You deserve some praise. Someone else do that? Tell them it looks great. Sometimes “nice job” is the best thing someone can hear.

—Complain less. Likewise, telling people what they did wrong can really be soul-crushing. Your service at the restaurant wasn’t the greatest? Maybe that server was having a bad day. Telling them they’re the worst isn’t going to make them the best.

—Criticize less. People like being built up, not torn down. It’s pretty simple. Live by the Golden Rule here. Is it how you’d want to be treated? If not, don’t do it/say it.

—Ditch social media. If the entire world stopped using social media at a given moment and never started again, the world would be a wonderful place. “Internet muscles” have emboldened a lot of people, but has anybody ever gained from it?

—Do more for the environment. You don’t need to save the world, but enough small gestures in this area could make an enormous difference, for everybody.

—Get a new hobby. Garden. Paint. Write. Refinish furniture. Sell on eBay. Play pickleball. The list of possible hobbies is endless.

—Go somewhere. Explore another country or just a close-by town you’ve never been to. Take a bike ride or a Sunday drive. Explore. There’s a whole lot of world out there.

—Go to the dentist. Better yet, go to the dermatologist. Most of us get our teeth cleaned. How many get skin checks? Make sure your largest organ is in good shape.

—Grow something. No, not that. Something to eat. A pepper, a carrot, a tomato. There’s a lot of satisfaction to be derived from feasting on something you grew yourself.

—If you do resolve to eat better, et cetera, do it to be healthy, not for vanity reasons. Yes, it’s nice to look good, but if you’re feeling better, that’s really what it’s all about.

—Learn to cook something new, not something easy, but a complicated recipe. Try it. You may be surprised by how easy cooking really is. Find a good YouTube channel and have at it.

—Look at the sky more. There’s a lot going on up there: birds, planes, wispy clouds, big cloud formations. At night, use an app like Skyview Light and learn exactly what you’re seeing.

—Move on. Don’t hold grudges. Get over things. Watch your blood pressure fall.

—Read more. There’s not much more to say here. Everyone could and should do this. We’re getting dumber as a society because hardly anybody reads.

—Road rage less. Somebody cut you off and now you want to give them the double-bird and maybe run them off the road? See No. 15. Move on. They didn’t do it on purpose and probably already feel bad about it.

—Sleep more. Again, everyone could do this. Now find time for it.

—Spoil yourself. And others. Get a massage or go to a stretch clinic. Eat a fine meal or take somebody out for one. Give someone a foot rub or make them a sweet treat for dessert.

—Take a class. Learn something new. There are all kinds of these offered at all kinds of places. You don’t have to go back to school, just to one for a few evenings.

—Take the stairs. Park further away. This fits with your typical resolutions. A little effort can produce a lot of gains by just doing simple things.

—Take up a musical instrument, especially if you’ve never played one. It’s both fun and fulfilling.

—Therapy. Mental health is in the news all the time. Take care of your mental self as well as your physical one.

—Try more new things. They’re scattered about this article, and there are many more.

—Walk more for pleasure. This is an easy one. Get outside. Say hi to your neighbors. Breathe in the air.

—Write a letter. Few things bring more smiles than receiving a letter in the mail.

So that’s it. Just some ideas. No pressure. Try one of them or try something on your own.

Good luck and happy New Year!