When we think of January, the first thought that comes to mind is “resolutions.” We may ponder what that resolution should be, and we produce ideas like get in shape, lose weight, clean out the garage, etc. These are all great, but statistics show 65% quit their resolution by the end of January, another 15% drop off by mid-February. By the end of the year, only about 10% are still working on their resolution.
These are daunting odds. However, what if we looked at what was standing in the way of completing a resolution? That is really where the trouble lies. It’s not that we don’t want to be successful, but there is usually something preventing us from doing so. The obstacle might not be apparent, or it may be something we don’t want to dwell on. Yet we will never get where we want dragging around excess baggage or heavy stones.
As we enter the New Year, I like to visualize throwing a stone over my shoulder. Theoretically, I want to pass into the new year, toss the metaphorical stone, and boom – I am on to the next. It seems simple, but years are difficult to leave behind. For me, there have been several years where very heavy stones clung to me for dear life.
Some years, I can toss that stone, and it easily rolls down a hill to land in a pile with other smaller, inconsequential stones. However, other years I can barely lift those stones. Some just sat there, tripping me up and refusing passage. Others caught on stumps and only made it partway down that hill behind me. They refused to tumble down and rest with those other stones at the bottom.
Time can create distance from those stones and encourage them to roll a little farther down the hill. Others are more persistent. For 2026, I propose we try to unburden ourselves of the heaviest of these stones.
Admittedly, we all have a few stones that are never going to make it to the bottom of the hill, but that’s ok. It is a never-ending work in progress. I don’t have to finish the work, but I can make progress for years to come. Success is not defined by completion, but by the process. I will toss a couple lighter stones into my pile, and they might nudge a big rock a couple of inches.
It is not a resolution I drop quickly, never to return. It is always there for me to work on little by little. Even tiny progress is progress. It always deserves a little pat on the back. Each time I move a stone, I know I did something good for myself.
I might need tools to help me. These could include talks with a friend, meditation, journaling, therapy sessions, spiritual teachings, walks in the woods, classes, books, time with family, cuddling with a beloved pet, or spending time with my thoughts. Yikes, that last one is a rough one!
What it all boils down to is inner work. There is never going to be that “one fix” to be happy. There is no miracle drug. It is the consistent work that matters. Is it easy? Absolutely not, or everyone would be succeeding. Many times, we will need some intense help or therapy to move the heaviest rocks.
We should never be ashamed at any age or any stage of our life to ask for that help. Many of those heavy stones cannot be moved alone. And what is wrong with that? Again, absolutely nothing.
The heavy stone could be a person, an event, a failure, or just a tragedy. Some need forgotten and thrown all the way down the hill sooner than later. Other stones are tragic memories we cannot just eliminate. We learn to work around them or find a purpose for them in our lives.
The main idea is to throw the meaningless stones as far as we can. The stones that no longer serve us need to be hurled down that hill. There might be that boulder you have been dragging around for years that is doing nothing but holding you back.
There is nothing wrong with moving at our own pace. Dealing with heavy stuff means working from the inside out. It is exceedingly demanding work, but as those stones start to tumble, a path is cleared.
If you’re looking for a resolution that sticks and keeps evolving year after year, get rid of the heavy stones. Let’s see the rewards start to materialize. Let’s recognize when we take a few steps forward.
We are never perfect, but we can keep moving to free-up space in our lives. It is a lifelong process. We should strive to be constantly learning and evolving. Here’s to a 2026 with fewer heavy stones.
