Resolutions & Expectations

Jenny Vonkeller

MS, LPC/A

2/3/2026

It’s February—and trust me, that feels just as unbelievable to me as it does to you. For many of us, the year begins on a high note: resolutions taped to the fridge, gym routine in place, meals are prepped for the week, and you’re handling work responsibilities like a pro. It feels like everything is finally falling into place.

As busyness sets back in, however, things start to shift. You sneak a cheat meal. You put off responding to those work emails for just one more day. One rest day from the gym quietly turns into two. Year after year, we put plans in motion only to see the forward momentum slowly come to a stop.

Let’s pause and take inventory here. We’re just coming out of the holidays (yes, my Christmas lights are still up). The weather is cold, the days are short, school and work routines are back in full swing, and you still have the responsibility of being a caretaker, parent, employee, homemaker, spouse, student – the list is endless.

Maybe the issue isn’t a lack of discipline. Could it be that we are putting too much pressure on ourselves? Making positive changes in our lives can be beneficial, but often when we don’t meet our own expectations, it’s easy to slip into guilt or shame. We believe that achieving these goals will make us better, stronger, prettier, or smarter. The Lord created you, knows you, and loves you just as you are. There are no conditions of improvement or accomplishment in the grace of Jesus.

Over the last three years, I have moved away from creating traditional New Year’s resolutions. Instead, I’ve chosen a word or phrase to focus on and pray over - “joy,” “intentionality,” “surrender.” Proverbs 16:9 states, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”

What is the Lord calling you to in 2026? Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 2:9, “But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.” God has already prepared the path ahead. Seek Him in prayer, meditate on His Word, stay rooted in community, and trust Him to guide your steps. Through it all, be gentle with yourself. Show yourself compassion in every moment. Rest in the kindness and unchanging love of Jesus.