The week between Christmas and New Year’s feels like a true transitional period, an in-between space where we are closing one chapter while stepping into the next. It is our chance to exhale after the rush of the holidays and start imagining what is possible in the year ahead. Calendars get cleared, inboxes slow down for a moment, and many of us find ourselves thinking, maybe this is the year we really follow through on the things we keep promising ourselves. Perhaps we want to get consistent with our health, be more present with the people we love, take the next step at work, or simply carve out a little more time for ourselves. This feeling is not just sentimental; researchers have studied it. Behavioral scientist Katy Milkman calls these moments “temporal landmarks,” points in time that create a clear sense of “before” and “after,” and can “elicit feelings of a fresh start.”
That fresh start feeling is powerful, but it can also set a trap. If we treat the first of January like a magic button, we may set goals that are more wish than plan. That is why so many resolutions burn out by the time the holiday decorations come down. The intention is real, but the strategy is shaky. A better approach is to build the year around a few sturdy pillars, then use SMART goals to turn hope into follow through. SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound, and it is one of the simplest ways to make goals feel less overwhelming and much more doable.
Most people naturally focus on three pillars: health, family, and work or business. Some people add a fourth pillar that makes the other three easier to support, personal well-being. This might include stress management, sleep, joy, and the habits that keep your mood steady. The key is not to overhaul every pillar at once. When it comes to changes in behavior, systems are often more important than willpower. Author James Clear puts it plainly, “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
Systems are where SMART goals really shine. Instead of saying, “I want to get healthier,” a SMART goal answers exactly what you will you do, how often will you do it, and when will you reassess. That shift matters because the brain likes clarity. It reduces decision fatigue, and it turns good intentions into repeatable behavior.
Consider the health pillar, which tends to get the most attention in January. Effective health goals are rarely all-out and extreme; they are simple steps that can be accomplished in real life. Think less about a dramatic transformation, and more about actions you can repeat. A SMART goal might mean scheduling two strength sessions a week for six weeks, walking for twenty minutes after lunch on weekdays for a month, or adding a protein-rich breakfast most mornings. When a goal is specific, you can see it on your calendar. When it is measurable, you can tell if you did it. When it is time bound, you know when to check in and adjust.
That adjustment piece is huge. One reason people abandon goals is all-or-nothing thinking. Miss a workout, eat a few cookies, fall behind on your plan, and suddenly it is easy to say, “I blew it, I’ll start over Monday.” Then by Friday, we are starting over again. SMART goals create a different story. The goal is not to be perfect forever. The goal is to follow a plan for a set period, learn what works, and refine it.
Family and relationships deserve their own pillar because they are often what people say matters most, yet they are the easiest to place on the back burner. The resolution version is usually something like, “be more present.” The SMART version looks more like a small, repeatable ritual, such as a weekly shared walk, a planned lunch date twice a month, or a standing Sunday call with a parent, sibling, or grown child. The beauty of relationship goals is that they do not need to be elaborate to be meaningful. Consistency is what builds connection, and it is also what protects connection during the busy weeks when everyone is pulled in different directions.
Then there is work, business, and purpose, the pillar that can either energize the year or exhaust it. Many people start January with goals that sound ambitious, but are actually vague, like “grow my business,” “be more productive,” or “get organized.” SMART goals bring focus. They might involve protecting a daily block of time for your most important project before you open email, pitching a set number of new ideas each month, updating your website in weekly sessions, or tracking spending every Friday for the next eight weeks. These goals are not about working nonstop, they are about choosing what moves the needle, then building a routine that makes it more likely you will follow through.
If you add the pillar of personal well-being, it can be the stabilizer that makes everything else easier. This is where sleep, stress, and joy live, the pieces that often determine whether a good plan feels manageable or impossible. A SMART goal here might include a consistent bedtime on weeknights for three weeks, a short daily reset such as stretching or journaling, or a commitment to get outside on weekend mornings. It is not indulgent. It is upkeep, and it can be the difference between showing up depleted or showing up energized.
Even with great goals, the missing ingredient is often not information, it is design. Stanford behavior scientist BJ Fogg argues that the emotional experience of success matters. He writes, “People change best by feeling good, not by feeling bad.” When goals are punishing, they become something you avoid. When goals are designed for small wins, they become easier to maintain. That is why starting small can be so effective. It creates quick success, and success creates momentum.
This transitional period is a rare chance to choose our direction with intention, but the real win is not a perfect January. It is a system we can live with in February, March, and the random weeks when life is busy and messy. If the new year is a fresh start, let it be a smart start, built on a few strong pillars, supported by clear goals, and fueled by progress we can measure. Here is the most encouraging part: We do not have to change everything all at once. One small goal, practiced consistently, can lead to the confidence to take on another. When next December arrives, we will have something even better than a resolution, clear proof of progress made by taking one steady step at a time.
Wishing you and your family a happy, healthy and SMART 2026!
Robin Stoloff is a longtime South Jersey health reporter and host of Living Well with Robin Stoloff, airing Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. on Lite 96.9 WFPG. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and at LivingWellWithRobinStoloff.com.
