A New Year Does Not Require a New You
It Requires a New
Pattern
Every January,
people promise themselves that this will be the year everything changes. Better
habits. Better health. Better focus. Better follow-through. And yet, most
resolutions fade within weeks, not because people lack desire, but because they
misunderstand how change actually happens.
Real change does
not come from motivation. It comes from repetition.
Last year, I
learned this firsthand. On January 1st, I wrote a children’s story. Then I
wrote another. Then another. What began as a small daily decision became a
habit. By the end of the year, I had written and published 520 children’s
stories. Not because I felt inspired every day, but because the habit carried
me forward when motivation did not.
That experience
reinforced a simple truth. Habits are not built in a moment. They are built
quietly, through small actions repeated consistently over time.
To help you
start the year differently, I created a New Year Habit Builder Worksheet. It is
designed to help you identify one meaningful habit, make it small enough to
repeat daily, anchor it to your existing routine, and stay consistent without
relying on willpower. It also guides you through replacing a habit that no
longer serves you with one that does.
This worksheet
is not about perfection. It is about progress. It is about becoming the kind of
person who shows up daily, even when it feels small.
If you want next January to look different, start with one habit this year. One small
action. One day at a time.
You can
download the worksheet and begin today.
Bill Conley
America’s Favorite Life Coach
Year Habit Builder Worksheet
Small Actions. Repeated Daily. Big Change.
Name: ___________________________
Date: ___________________________
Step 1: Identify the Habit You Want to Build
One habit I want to develop this year is
Why this habit matters to my life, health, purpose, or future:
Step 2: Make the Habit Small and Repeatable
The daily version of this habit will be small enough to do even on my worst day.
My daily habit action:
Time of day I will do it:
Where I will do it:
Step 3: Attach It to an Existing Routine
I will do this habit immediately after I have already done the following:
This existing routine happens every day:
☐ Yes
☐ No. If not, choose a different anchor
Step 4: Anticipate Resistance
The most likely excuse or obstacle I will face:
What I will do instead of quitting when this happens:
Step 5: Create a Simple Reward
After completing my habit, I will acknowledge it by:
This reinforces the habit and tells my brain it matters.
Step: 6 Track Consistency, Not Perfection
I commit to never missing two days in a row.
☐ I understand that missing once is human
☐ I understand that missing twice creates a new habit
Tracking method I will use:
☐ Calendar
☐ Notebook
☐ App
☐ Other: ___________________________
Breaking a Habit That No Longer Serves Me
The habit I want to stop or replace:
What usually triggers it:
What I will replace it with instead:
What changes can I make to my environment to make the bad habit harder?
Identity Statement
Complete this sentence and read it daily.
“I am the kind of person who ____________________________________________.”
One Year From Now
If I stay consistent with this habit, my life one year from today will look like:
Final Commitment
I am not chasing motivation.
I am building a pattern.
I will show up daily, even when it feels small.
Signature: _______________________________
Date: _______________________________
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