To Resolution, or Not to Resolution

by Katerina ↪ 6 min

Jump to:
– The Art Of The Resolution
– Start with values
– Pick your practices
– Set the pace
– Find a friend
– Choose check-in dates
– Sweeten the process
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A festive arrangement of Wims Pocket-Tonic balanced on colorful glassware, surrounded by small gift boxes and scattered gold star confetti on a neutral background.

How to Write a Resolution That Sticks

The season of New Years resolutions is once again upon us. This may inspire you or, more likely, inspire a groan. If you’ve set resolutions before, only to watch them gradually collect dust in a twelve-month build up to an “incomplete”, perhaps you’ve come to resent them. Perfectly fair! But perhaps, you haven’t been writing your resolutions in a way that sets you up to succeed

New Years resolutions don’t always need to be big, lofty undertaking aimed at turning your whole life on its head. They can also be small practices, gradual habits, steady commitments—they don’t even need to span a whole year! All that really matters is that they’re written in a way that focuses on actions, rather than outcomes. That’s the big secret to making New Years resolutions stick.

If there’s a meaningful change you’re hoping to carry into the New Year, we’d like to invite you to try your hand at writing resolutions the Wims way. Whether your goal is bold or bite-sized, playful or profound, restful or rigorous, our recipe for resolutions is here to empower any kind of change that feels good for you.

The Art of the Resolution

Yellow graphic titled “The Wims Recipe for Keeping Resolutions” featuring the year 2026 and a fill-in-the-blank template for setting values, actions, accountability, and celebrating progress.

Drawing on the wisdom of psychologists, management experts, and regular goal-achievers, we’ve crafted a delicious recipe for resolutions that stick. The formula goes a little something like this:

In 2026, I’m valuing [describe your value]. Putting that in practice means [doing this action] [this often], and [doing this action] [this often], and [repeat actions and frequencies to your heart’s content]. To stay accountable, I’ll check in with [name your accountability pal] every [set a check-in cadence]—and celebrate progress along the way with [plan a little treat to reward incremental wins].

Each of these elements add up to a resolution that’s doable, inspires follow-through, and keeps its rhythm through the year. Now, let’s walk through each piece step-by-step.

Start with values.

This is the inspirational, big-picture part, where you get to consider and connect with your “why”. Rather than envisioning a huge, radical overhaul of your current reality (daunting!), think about what value, or values, you want to define your year—and let that inspire your actions.

Example: In 2026, I’m valuing clear-headed mornings.

Pick your practices.

These need be small steps you can do proactively, and repeatedly: so, for example, “I’ll stop going out to bars so much” is vague, and somewhat dependent on what your friends feel like doing. But “I’ll opt for NA drinks” or “I’ll host dinners at my place” is a lot more concrete, and squarely within your control.

Example: I’ll swap wine for Wims...

Set the pace.

A year is a long time, and if you don’t build some rhythm into your resolution, it’d be no surprise at all if it’s slipped your mind by summer. Look at the practices and actions you’ve outlined for yourself, and lay out a regular cadence for each of them to keep you on track.

Example: I’ll swap wine for Wims every Friday night.

Find a friend.

One of the best ways to keep your resolution on track is to enlist someone you trust to gently check in on your progress. This might be a friend who’s on their own resolution journey, so you can both hold each other accountable. It might be a family member who’s always in your corner. Or, if your goal is more private and personal, it could even be yourself.

Example: I’ll check in with my sister…

Choose check-in dates.

Once you’ve picked your accountability pal, you should commit to a regular check-in cadence. These are moments to measure your progress way—which might be as simple as complete vs. incomplete, or could rely on more specific metrics. Your check-in frequency should be proportional to the cadence you’ve set for your practices. If they’re daily practices, perhaps weekly check-ins make sense. If the practices are less frequent, your check-ins probably should be too.

Example: I’ll check in with my sister once a month.

Sweeten the process.

Positive reinforcement is a powerful tool, especially for goals that require above-and-beyond motivation. When you write your resolutions, consider incorporating a simple, sustainable reward that serves up a little extra incentive—because sometimes, you need a short-term reward to propel you towards a long-term goal.

Example: I’ll reward myself with an extra-special Wims mocktail after every check-in where I feel proud.