As an LCSW that specializes in executive dysfunction and working with entrepreneurs and young professionals, I’ve seen firsthand the cycle of new years resolutions and how it often sets my clients up for failure. In recent years I've been keenly interested in the idea of self-audits as a launch pad into the New Year. This article details the benefits of using self-audits over resolutions in this new year cycle!
A note about BIPOC, POC and immigrant communities and this phenomenon. For a lot of immigrants of color, or first generation kids, the cultural pressures of overachievement, perfection, and general assimilation pressures, make new years resolutions even more damaging. Self-audits allow folks to pause and honor their successes, rather than feeling solely driven by familial and cultural pressures and expectations, fostering a deeper sense of self-compassion and fulfillment.
What is a personal self-audit?
A self-audit simply defined is a reflective, introspective and structured process of assessing your year, naming your successes, being curious about areas for growth, identifying your core values, and aligning your goals with those values. Unlike new years resolutions - a self-audit is anchored in reality, and accountability - whereas new years resolutions are often vague and abstract.
How does it work?
A recommendation is to carve out dedicated time to work through guided prompts, intentionally reflect, and assess key dimensions of our personal and professional lives. Some ideas include:
Identifying behavioral patterns:
What habits bring you closer to your goals, what habits push you father away?
Listing wins and challenges:
What didn't work? What did work?
Identifying core values:
Pick 2 from this list of 50. https://brenebrown.com/resources/dare-to-lead-list-of-values/ Now ask yourself, did I live in alignment with these values?
Identifying gaps in skills:
What skills do I need to build on to achieve my goals?
Why is a self-audit better than new years resolutions?
1. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-Bound (SMART) goals beat vague aspirations every time: Resolutions focus on outcome, a self-audit focuses on the process. This allows us to achieve small wins, that then fuel our motivation to achieve bigger wins.
2. Encourages nuance and discourages black and white thinking: Life will evolve, and so will your circumstances. Self-audits make space for adjustment, as opposed to new years resolutions that embody all-or-nothing thinking.
Key Questions for a Year-End Personal Audit
1. What are my core values: If you don't know what your values are, find out. Once you do, be honest with whether or not you lived in alignment with them this past year.
2. Celebrate yourself: List out 3 wins, they can be big or small. What was I proud of this year?
3. Name the struggle: What were 3 major challenges, and what did I learn from these challenges?
4. Where did the time go: Ask yourself where you spent most of your time? Did you spend time on activities that mattered to you? How can you reallocate you energy?
5. Routine: Think back on your daily routine. Did it nourish you or deplete you? How can you rearrange your routine to benefit your goals and objectives? What are small changes we can make to how we wake up, or how we sleep?
Embracing self-audits over traditional New Year’s resolutions is not just a trend—it’s a paradigm shift in how we approach growth, well-being, and goal-setting. For many, resolutions fall short because they lack depth and fail to consider the complexities of our lives. A self-audit, on the other hand, provides a holistic framework that accounts for personal values, behavioral patterns, and the realities of our lived experiences.
Research supports this approach. Studies show that people are more likely to achieve their goals when they break them down into smaller, actionable steps and align them with intrinsic motivations rather than external pressures. For instance, a study from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology highlights that goals grounded in personal values are not only more sustainable but also lead to greater fulfillment. By focusing on “what works” through self-audits, we foster self-efficacy—a belief in our ability to achieve—which is a crucial factor in long-term success.
For further reading, check out Positive Psychology’s guide to goal setting.
In a world driven by constant external demands, self-audits offer a chance to slow down, reflect, and pivot intentionally. This New Year, resist the pressure to conform to fleeting resolutions and instead, embark on a journey of meaningful, values-based growth. Your future self will thank you.
Summarizing Goodbye New Year’s Resolutions. Hello Self-Audit's: Your Future Self Will Thank You
Part 1
Self-Audits vs. Resolutions: Unlike vague and often unsustainable New Year’s resolutions, self-audits provide a reflective, structured approach to assess personal and professional growth, identify core values, and align goals with reality.
Part 2
Part 3
References
Brown, B. (2018). Dare to lead: Brave work. Tough conversations. Whole hearts. Random House. Retrieved from https://brenebrown.com/resources/dare-to-lead-list-of-values/
Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation: A 35-year odyssey. American Psychologist, 57(9), 705–717. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.57.9.705
Sheldon, K. M., & Elliot, A. J. (1999). Goal striving, need satisfaction, and longitudinal well-being: The self-concordance model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76(3), 482–497. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.76.3.482
Authors
LCSW | CCTP
Specialties: survivors of childhood sexual abuse & incest survivors, existential crisis, race-based stress, gender identity & sexuality-related conflicts, cross-cultural issues, addiction, international students, family issues & acculturation
LCSW | CASAC-T | CTP
Specialties: complex trauma, addiction, relationships/attachment, LGBTQIA+ identity issues & exploration, existential crisis, men's mental health, anxiety, mood/emotional dysregulation, psychedelic integration
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