Eight wellbeing goals for 2025 and how to make them stick, according to the experts

Having your best year yet is easy with a bit of expert advice. Photo / Getty Images

The turn of a New Year is often a perfect time to reflect on how we can make achievable, impactful resolutions to improve our health, wellbeing and happiness for the 12 months ahead. Here are eight unique wellbeing resolutions from expert psychologists and coaches, to inspire a healthier and more fulfilling 2025.

1. Start a self-awareness journal

“Take time to reflect on your experiences by keeping a journal where you document events that make you feel happy, sad, challenged, or that you enjoyed,” says Alex Partridge, author of Now It All Makes Sense: How An ADHD Diagnosis Brought Clarity To My Life (published on January 16 by Sheldon Press). “Over time, this will create a catalogue of data points that will allow you to paint a picture of your intrinsic motivations, beliefs, and passions.”

“This new self-awareness can guide you towards better decisions and more informed choices. You’ll know when to say ‘yes’ and when to say ‘no,’ leading to happier and healthier outcomes.”

Journalling has been shown to reduce stress and improve emotional clarity. Photo / 123RF

2. Reframe the way you think about work

“The biggest single factor influencing how we feel about work is how we frame it,” says Dr David Oxley, career futurist and co-author with Dr Helmut Schuster of A Groundhog Career: A Tale of Career Traps and How to Escape Them (publishing March 18, Practical Inspiration). “Instead of viewing work as a necessary evil, which can cause a destructive downward spiral that takes a profound toll on our wellbeing, think about how it helps you achieve something meaningful, beyond narrow financial definitions.”

Oxley suggests reflecting on questions like:

• I know why I do the work I do
• I love how the job makes me feel or I love what it enables me to do with my life

“If you don’t have convincing answers, it might be time to explore alternatives. We are at our best when we know what we are fighting for … love, change, justice, community, problem-solving, or adventure, for example. Work becomes infinitely more rewarding when it’s aligned with a cause you truly care about.”

Reframing work positively can improve mental health and job satisfaction. Photo / 123RF

3. Do less, not more

“Wellbeing is so often about adding another hack or activity, we forget how powerful doing less of something can be,” explains Lee Chambers, psychologist and author of Momentum: 13 Ways to Unlock Your Potential (out now, published by Kogan Page). “When we subtract, rather than add, it gives us both the space to do the things that are meaningful to us and boost our energy, and can often also allow us to do these more effectively.”

“Focusing on doing less also helps us practice valuable wellbeing skills like setting boundaries, reflecting on what success means to us or building intentional momentum in particular areas of our lives. In today’s uncertain and complex world, doing less creates space for us to think, breathe, and express ourselves.”

Doing less can paradoxically increase productivity by freeing mental energy. Photo / 123RF

4. Break the cycle of insecure over-achievement

“Insecure overachievers are high-performing, ambitious individuals whose success is driven by self-doubt and a persistent fear of inadequacy,” says Dorothy Herson, mental health activist and author of The Rag Doll Contract.

If the following statements resonate with you, you could be one:

• You feel the need to prove your worth at work
• You constantly worry that others will discover you’re not as capable as you seem
• You find it difficult to say no and often overextend yourself

While this drive for excellence can bring success, Dorothy warns “it frequently leads to burnout, strained relationships and a persistent sense of dissatisfaction.”

“To break the cycle in 2025, foster self-compassion by genuinely acknowledging your wins and setting clear boundaries. Set limits on work hours and carve out non-negotiable personal time for rest, relationships, or hobbies. By addressing the root of your insecurities — often shaped by past experiences dating back to childhood — you can cultivate a healthier relationship with work and yourself, and make conscious choices that lead to greater self-acceptance.”

Subtracting tasks, rather than adding more, is proven to reduce burnout and boost wellbeing. Photo / 123RF

5. Become ‘neuro-affirmative’ to build stronger relationships

“In a world that feels increasingly divided, it’s easy to assume that people who disagree with us – whether over politics, values, or life choices – are ‘toxic’ or ‘evil,’” says Leanne Maskell, founder of ADHD coaching company ADHD Works and author of ADHD an A-Z. “However, very few people truly act with harmful intent. Most are simply shaped by their backgrounds, experiences, and circumstances, doing the best they can with the tools they’ve been given.”

Leanne Maskell.

Maskell suggests that “noticing any strong feelings or judgements you may have about others and exploring the reasoning behind these can foster greater self-compassion, self-awareness, and self-esteem. The kinder we are to ourselves, the kinder we tend to be towards others.”

Becoming “neuro-affirmative” means “recognising that everyone’s brains work differently and engaging with empathy. It’s about accepting that your friend/partner/colleague/family member might process information or emotions differently than you do. This shift in perspective fosters patience, understanding, and compassion – no labels or diagnoses needed.”

“Prioritising connection over conflict is foundational to an inclusive, kinder society, and improving our own wellbeing.”

Neuro-affirmative practices help build empathy, fostering stronger relationships. Photo / 123RF

6. Swap your ‘shoulds’ for ‘wants’

“Instead of adding more ‘shoulds’ to your list of resolutions this New Year, consider this one: breaking free from mental cages,” suggests Katia Vlachos, reinvention coach and author of Uncaged: A Good Girl’s Journey to Reinvention.

“These are all the ways we limit ourselves, consciously or subconsciously: the beliefs we’ve inherited or internalised about what’s ‘right’ or good for us, and about what we need to do to earn love, appreciation and acceptance. Often, our choices - especially our New Year’s resolutions – stem from these”.

For example, “we might choose a fitness routine because it’s ‘what successful people do’, or commit to productivity habits that look good but feel misaligned”.

So how do you recognise when you’re in a cage? Katia suggests “listening for: ‘I should’ or ‘I have to.’ Notice when you’re making choices based on what others might think rather than what feels true for you. Ask ‘Does this choice come from self-care or self-pressure?’ When your actions flow from true alignment rather than inherited ‘shoulds’, maintaining healthy habits becomes natural rather than forced.”

Many “shoulds” we follow are inherited beliefs – ditching them can lead to more authentic choices. Photo / 123RF

Learn how to regulate your nervous system to beat stress

“Life’s stressors aren’t going anywhere, but how we respond to them can change everything”, says Karden Rabin, co-author of The Secret Language of the Body and co-founder of Somia International.

According to Karden, when we’re feeling stressed, learning how to regulate our own nervous system can transform everything. “Your nervous system is what’s making all the choices about how your mind and body react to the demands of life.”

“Commit to just five minutes a day to reconnect with yourself and listen to the signals of your body. Maybe it’s taking slow, grounding breaths, going for a walk in nature, or even placing a hand on your heart and pausing. These small moments help your nervous system shift from survival mode into a state of safety balance.”

Instead of crash-diets or signing up to a marathon, commit to this one simple resolution to “show up for yourself, one breathe at a time. Because when you’re balanced, everything else - relationships, work, life - tends to fall into place.”

Neurodivergent thinking styles often bring unique problem-solving abilities. Photo / 123RF

Eat more healthily (without feeling like you’re even trying)

We all start the new year on a takeaway ban, aiming to lose weight and save money. But once January is done, we fall back into our usual habits, and back to the takeaway menus.

“Using your air fryer can be your Plan B for eating healthily,” says Sam Milner, co-author of Air Fryer Easy Every Day: 140 super-simple delicious recipes (White Lion Publishing). Especially because it can feel like you’re not trying.

“You don’t need to miss out on the food you love. For example, air fryer chips are amazing.” When prepared with just seasoning and about 1tbsp of extra virgin olive oil (for enough chips for four people) one serving accounts for just 30 calories of oil.

Sam also suggests making simple swaps or time-saving hacks to making things easier, “you can make veg chips from your favourite root veg instead of using potatoes. Our favourites include carrots, beetroot, swede and parsnips. Supermarket veg packs are a brilliant way to add veg into your diet without the prep time. Just add a little oil and seasoning to them and then load them into the air fryer.”

Want to get your kids on board with eating healthily? Milner recommends getting creative. “How often do you serve your kids a jacket potato and they leave the skin? Instead, peel the potatoes and put the peelings into another bowl. Season, add oil and then air fry. They are like crisps but of course, have been made from leftovers.”