I don’t know about you, but I’m over the New Year’s cycle: making plans and resolutions for the year on January 1, forgetting about the goals by June, and then spending the holiday season feeling so busy, stressed, or unmotivated that we think, eh, I’ll wait until the new year to focus on my body or take action to live the life I want. Here’s my PSA: You can start showing up as your highest self now. Yes, now—even with an overbooked social schedule, drained bank account, and Christmas cookies that can’t be skipped. There are two important reasons you should focus on becoming your best self now (that don’t have anything to do with restricting the Christmas cookies, BTW).
For one, we should program our brains to stop waiting for a “better time”—whether it’s Monday, the new year, or when we’re “ready”—to actually live the life we want. Telling yourself you’ll start in January is another way you’re reinforcing the lie that you’re not already capable or worthy to be your highest self (spoiler: you are). Second, it’s important we connect with ourselves, instead of letting hectic schedules take over and living unintentionally like years past. So if you want to level up your life now instead of waiting for New Year’s, here are seven power moves to help you feel more grounded, aligned, and lit-from-within by December 31.
“We should all program our brains to stop waiting for Monday, or the new year, or when we’re ‘ready’ to actually live the life we want.”
1. Do a brain dump on who your highest self is
You need to know the “why” behind the effort that you put in to reach your goals. Nothing is more motivating than when we can clearly visualize who we are meant to be. Plus, this clarity is crucial to setting goals that are actually worth working toward. We often implement rituals, start programs, or make goals from a place of should, but they do not give us the life we want. “Winter arc” TikToks show creators with 5:30 a.m. wake-up times, following a strength training and high-protein diet plan, journaling two times a day, finishing four books, and more. All of those things are fine, but are they in line with how you envision your highest self? Maybe your highest self has slow, relaxing mornings and prefers Pilates and Yoga.
In order to get clear on who your highest self is, do a brain dump, asking yourself questions like: What does she do for work, where does she live, who does she live with, how does she feel every day? Also consider the smaller details like what she wears, what she listens to on her way to work, what she eats in a day, how she spends time with her friends, etc. The more details you come up with, the more action steps you can begin taking right now.
2. Create daily and weekly goals
A common mistake is only setting an end goal (i.e., “heal my gut,” “make $5000 a month,” “have a big friend group,” “get a promotion,” “lose weight,” “get in a relationship…”) and not setting all of the little micro-goals that are the stepping stones to get there. So once you know who your highest self is and what you’re working toward, create daily and weekly habits to actually work toward them. Maybe it’s meal prepping every Sunday, going on one date a week, falling asleep by 10 p.m. every night, or setting a regular financial check-in. Ask yourself what you need to do on a weekly and daily basis to get you where you want to be. For example, if you want a promotion at the year-end review, maybe you set up weekly check-ins with your boss or elevate your daily to-do list for more productivity. The micro-goals that we can do on a daily or weekly basis are the action steps to get to a “leveled-up” life.
3. Make decisions based on long-term joy instead of short-term reward
We often confuse a short-term dopamine hit with pleasure or a mood boost; we snack on cookies, open TikTok, or watch TV when we need some comfort or we’re feeling stressed out. If you haven’t done enough to spark joy throughout the day, the brain will crave a dopamine hit. Just like if your blood sugar’s low, your body will crave the fastest, quickest sources of glucose (starchy carbohydrates or sugar) because it’s the quickest form of energy, not because it’s the best long-term for energy. The same goes for dopamine. When your body lacks those happy hormones, it’s going to want the quickest, fastest form of a dopamine hit (a delicious food or scrolling on your phone). But it’ll only take you so far and can mess with your happiness, just like starchy carbohydrates can mess with your blood sugar over time.
There is a major difference between this feels good right now and this will make me happier. Sometimes, these quick dopamine hits drain our energy, lowering our mood, so we don’t feel good and struggle more with working toward what we want to accomplish. Every time you eat something, say yes to plans, or pick a workout, think, “Will this make me 1 percent happier or 1 percent less happy tomorrow?” Get used to making decisions based on long-term happiness more than short-term pleasure.
4. Read one chapter (or 10 pages) of a book tailored to your dream life every day
IMO, reading is the smartest investment of your time and the greatest hack because you have incredible access to other points of view or advice on any goal. Every day, prioritize reading a specific amount (to hold yourself accountable) and get a book specific to your dream life. Find a book on entrepreneurship or finance, learn all about how to be physically healthier, get a book that can help you heal, or read a memoir from someone whose life you admire. But it doesn’t have to be a self-help book to level up your life. Getting outside of yourself can be incredibly powerful for self-improvement and feeling your best; fiction can also improve joy, creativity, or critical thinking (all things you need to live your best life). The important part is to read every single day, and you will notice such a difference in the way you view the world.
5. Romanticize getting sunlight every single morning
When the body is exposed to sunlight, it suppresses melatonin production (the sleep hormone), which then improves energy. Because the body runs on an internal clock, it knows to begin melatonin production about 12 hours after morning light exposure. Getting sunlight first thing boosts daytime energy and sets you up to fall asleep more easily (and sleep more deeply) at night. Sunlight is the body’s main source of vitamin D, which is linked to mood and energy. So if you’re feeling sluggish or unmotivated this time of year, prioritizing morning sunlight isn’t just a nice habit—it can shift your day-to-day energy and make it easier to follow through on your goals. If you live in an area where there’s limited (or no) sun this time of year, a vitamin D lamp can fill the gap.
I say romanticize getting sunlight every single morning because routines never stick if you see them as a chore instead of something to look forward to. Instead of another thing you have to check off your to-do list, romanticize your morning routines to include sunlight: play a rom-com playlist and go for a walk in the AM, put on your jacket and sit on your balcony while you sip coffee, or light a candle and turn on your favorite holiday movie while you sit in front of your vitamin D lamp. And on really cold days, even sitting in front of the window while you eat breakfast can make a difference.
6. Make sleep a non-negotiable
Unlike our college days, sleep is no longer optional. Because here’s the harsh truth: no amount of eye cream, workouts, or hustle can outrun sleep debt. Rest and recovery is the foundation of any serious glow-up, and it’s the cheapest wellness upgrade with the highest ROI you can make. Every hour you sleep, your brain recalibrates, metabolism regulates, hormones stabilize, and skin repairs. The result? Sharper focus, better decision-making, steady mood, lasting energy, and rejuvenated skin. Skimp on sleep, and you’re basically running on empty, dragging your mood, performance, and appearance down with you.
Treat sleep like any other essential appointment: put it on your calendar and stick to it. Hold yourself to the sleep hygiene basics: set a consistent bedtime and wake-up time, establish a solid wind-down routine, get sunlight first thing in the morning (sound familiar?), and remove distractions that keep you up late. You may notice there’s no nod to the eight-hour gold standard. That’s because the quality of your sleep matters more than the number of hours you clock. If you wake up feeling refreshed and your mood and energy are stable throughout the day, chances are, you’re hitting your own personal sleep requirement. Locking in 7–9 hours of restorative sleep nightly isn’t unproductive; it’s showing up for yourself the way you show up for your goals.
7. Create a nervous system regulation ritual
Between hustle culture and the news cycle, we’re running on stress fumes—and our nervous systems feel it. While the body can handle stress in small doses, and it can be healthy for getting us to take action, we’re being pushed beyond healthy stress. Our sympathetic “fight-or-flight” nervous systems are stuck in overdrive, triggered from perceived “threats” (AKA stressor after stressor). To switch on the body’s “rest-and-digest” mode, a nervous system hard reset is necessary. Because when the parasympathetic nervous system is out of whack, sleep troubles, digestive woes, mood swings, and other health conditions crop up.
Think of it as a daily emotional tune-up, the thing that keeps you from spiraling every time your inbox pings or life throws a plot twist. Not a life overhaul, but rather a simple practice that brings you back to baseline. Maybe it’s a five-minute breathwork break (like doing a few rounds of taking two sharp inhales through the nose, then exhaling slowly through the mouth), a walk around the block without your phone (even just a few minutes outdoors can start to re-regulate your nervous system), or a FaceTime with your calm, supportive BFF. The point is to create a signature move that tells your brain and body, we’re safe. Build it now, make it a habit, and by the end of 2025, you’ll have a nervous system regulation arsenal so solid it becomes your secret superpower.
Josie Santi, Senior Wellness Editor & Podcast Host
Josie has been an editor and writer for The Everygirl since 2017 and became a certified Holistic Health Coach in 2020. As the Senior Wellness Editor, she oversees, writes, and edits wellness content, as well as reports on wellness trends and interviews the industry’s leading experts. Listen to Josie on The Everygirl Podcast.
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