Note: A few hours after writing and scheduling this post, I came across this (nearly identical) article in the New York Times by writer and illustrator Julia Rothman. I debated not publishing my post, but have decided to go ahead with it for a few reasons — namely, I can say with integrity that I didn’t come across Rothman’s post until after I’d scheduled mine; that clearly this idea needs to be shared and perhaps someone will stumble upon this article and be encouraged to visit the New York Times post as well; and because it’s a great example of what Austin Kleon refers to as the inevitability of ideas.

After the rollercoaster ride that was 2020, I just couldn’t bring myself to make typical New Year’s resolutions.

I’m usually a steadfast resolution-writer — I subscribe firmly to the camp that it’s easier to decide to do something (or not do something) every day than it is to do it once in a while. This is why I’ve had a streak on Duolingo for over six years, why I hit my 10,000 step goal every day for 3 years (and then wasn’t able to get back on track after that one night in Brooklyn), and why I wrote morning pages every day for 4 years. I made a list of 20 things I wanted to do in 2020, but “crossing off” the first thing (have a baby) ended up making it pretty much impossible to do the rest of the list. Whoops.

Instead, I’m trying a new approach for 2021. It’s dead-simple — just two columns, but at the risk of sounding like internet clickbait, it really might change your life.

Rather than focus on the hard edges of standard resolutions, or the measurability of SMART goals (full disclosure: I loathe SMART goals), I’m advocating a more flexible approach. More or less. As in, What do you want more of in 2021? And the corollary: What do you want less of in 2021?

That’s it. That’s the whole approach.

To do this, I’m looking at everything from this lens of more or less. Do I want more? Or do I want less? I’m sure it’s totally possible to be satisfied and just want the same level (maybe that falls under “more” as in “more of the same.”) But in my experience, things always lean one way or another.

We can apply this lens to anything — more vegetables, less screen time. More walks, less instagram. More phone calls, less Zoom. More intentional spending, less Amazon impulse buys.

I sat down with a piece of paper (I always turn the paper horizontally for brainstorming activities like this--I am convinced it invites more creative thinking) and made two columns — more and less. Then I set a timer and just brainstormed ideas. Note that there’s no one right way to do this. You don’t need to think of things in perfect pairs (i.e. more vegetables, less sugar). You could just think generally about what you want more of in your life. This first step is just a brainstorming exercise. It’s important not to get bogged down in the “how” of what it would take to make this happen. That’s always a separate step. The first phase is idea generation —only once you have a list of what you’d like to see more or less of does it make any sense to start figuring out implementation.

To help get this process started, I’ve put together a worksheet to capture your thoughts. There are two pages to the worksheet — one is a simple two-column approach to this exercise. On the second page, I’ve included some categories to consider what you want more or less of — sometimes examining our lives in segments makes it easier to think critically.

The beauty of this exercise really lies in its simplicity. Once you jot these thoughts down, you’re done — you don’t need to develop an action plan or strategy unless you want to. This approach works on a micro level through everyday decisions — that in-the-moment choice of vegetables or another cookie. Deciding to pick up a book instead of your iPad. Every time you’re faced with a choice, you can think of this mental model of more or less — which option is a better fit? Over time, you’ll see the collective impact of all of these tiny decisions, in an approach that might feel far more accessible than hard and fast resolution.

If you try this approach, let me know. I’d love to hear what you think. Does this approach seem more doable than traditional New Year’s resolutions?

More? Or Less?: A Different Approach to New Year's Resolutions