Make them realistic and achievable.

Have you made your New Year’s resolutions yet? Are they realistic? Measurable? Even doable? The history of making resolutions each year began as early as 2,000 BCE by the Babylonians. Ancient Romans adopted the practice and formalized it in 46 BCE to take place on January 1. Resolutions frequently focus on pursuing good health, changing undesired behaviors, or accomplishing personal goals.

Nurses already recognize the importance of focusing their efforts on living a life of continuous learning, providing the best patient care, serving as leaders in the work setting, adhering to evidence-based practices, and striving for a healthy work–life balance. As a profession, we tend to reflect on where we are, where we’re going, and how we’ll achieve our goals.

The New Year is meant to leave behind the “old” and bring in the “new.” I suggest that we look at what we already do—how we walk the path of recognizing a need, setting a goal, and evolving toward accomplishing that goal. Too many of us set lofty goals, but rarely do we set realistic ones. Have you ever set the goal of exercising more or losing weight? Did you set a measurable target (10 pounds)? Did you set an achievable timeline (3 months)? I have to admit, I frequently fail in setting this type of resolution. Nurses are excellent at care planning. But personal goal planning? Not so much.

I can’t set your personal resolutions, but I have a few ideas about what you can work to achieve professionally. Set a goal of reviewing your entire past year, then assess what worked and what seemed a struggle. Ask yourself, “What’s important to me? Did I achieve it?” Then develop no more than three goals based on your reflection. Keep them simple and choose only what’s important to you and within your sphere of influence. For example, do you want to refine or develop a new skill? Can you learn it from a course or seminar, or can you learn on the job from a talented colleague? Can you estimate how much time you’ll need to learn the skill? How will you know when you’ve mastered it?

Being resolved to achieve even one simple goal can make your life better, happier, and more satisfying, but it isn’t something you can accomplish in one day—on January 1. Making resolutions and fulfilling them is an ongoing exercise that we work toward year round. It’s like the old proverb: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!

I’m so proud of my colleagues and the nurses I work with, and I look forward to what we’ll achieve together this year. Here are my resolutions: be an effective team member and acknowledge others more, contribute to a healthy workplace, and do all I can to be a vital contributor to the profession that has given me so much. What about yours?

Lillee Gelinas, DNP, RN, CPPS, FAAN

Editor-in-Chief

To read more from Dr. Gelinas and submit a letter to the editor, visit myamericannurse.com/about-the-editor.

American Nurse Journal. 2025; 20(1). Doi: 10.51256/ANJ012504