It's January first. I didn't feel like cooking tonight, so I treated my husband to dinner out at one of his favorite fast food joints (turkey burgers & fresh cut French fries). On the way out, we passed the ice cream shop next door and my husband said, "I start my diet tomorrow," and pulled in! As I am licking the last sticky traces from my fingers it occurred to me that this might be a good time to consider a new year's resolution!
Personally, I’ve never been a fan of NYRs. I have seen – and personally experienced – too many gung-ho January 1 starts to be washed up and forgotten by February. But 2025 has been challenging, as well as exciting, on many fronts, and 2026 promises to take all that up a notch...or five. Thinking about what's coming has given me pause to reconsider the dreaded resolution. I need to be prepared,andmaybe some resolutions woulld set e in the right direction.
But where does all this resolution business come from? Some of the earliest records date back about 4,000 years to the Babylonians who, in hopes of earning favor, made promises to their gods during the new year festival. Later on, the Romans dedicated the first month of the year to Janus, the two-faced god of beginnings, gates and transitions. One of Janus’ heads looked forward and one backward, reminding the Romans to reflect on past actions and to make vows to live better lives in the future. Through the centuries, the practice of making promises at the new year took on a religious tone, then eventually evolved into something more personal and secular. Today, NYRs are individual and reflective, focused on self-care and self-improvement, creativity, relationships and personal growth. While the promises that we make have changed, the heart of the tradition remains. The birth of a new year signals a time to reflect, reset and restart.
New Year’s Eve goes out with a bang. Often literally! Parties, music, fireworks… I sometimes wonder if we’re more excited to see the old year leave or the new year arrive. But the reality is that the new year doesn’t explode in on the pop of a firecracker. It slips in quietly on the gliding second hand of a clock, often while we sleep. When we wake, there it is, ready and waiting.
Why are we so happy to leave the old year behind? Was it really so awful? As horrific as 2020 was, and as thrilled as we all were to see it in the rear view, the silver lining – however tarnished – was that it gave us a time to look inward, to pull our loved ones close, to reexamine our priorities, and many of us learned to our own surprise that we had a wonderful ability to become creative in crisis mode and, what I think was the most important term to come out of the pandemic, we learned how to pivot. So even in the worst of times, if we look hard enough, we can find some good, and do we really want to leave that part behind?
No, while the arrival of a new year marks the end of the old year, the ending can be beautiful. It marks a time of completion when all is neatly packaged and ready to be released. And though that moment of letting go can be difficult, if not painful, it brings a sense of closure and allows the heart and mind to rest. It allows us to acknowledge what was lived, learned and felt. We need endings to create space. Space in our minds and hearts. We need space for all the new possibilities. Without endings, life would be crowded with too many unfinished chapters in the story of our life. Letting go, letting things end, creates the space for new beginnings.
And for the beginnings, as we rip off the final page of last year on the calendar, we are presented with a fresh, new picture and 31 blank squares. It is a clean sheet, ready to fill in the blanks with all kinds of new possibilities. The new year is an open door, inviting us to pass through, leaving the old behind while entering into a season of new beginnings. Making New Year’s resolutions is an act of hope. It’s a moment when we pause, look back on where we’ve been, and imagine who we want to become. Resolutions don’t have to be grand or perfectly defined; often, the most meaningful ones are simple intentions - small promises we make to ourselves to live with more purpose, kindness, or balance. At their best, resolutions are less about fixing what’s “wrong” and more about nurturing what matters. They invite us to choose growth over habit and mindfulness over routine. Even when we stumble, the act of setting a resolution reminds us that change is possible at any moment - not just on January first. In the end, a resolution is not a rigid rule but a compass. It gently points us in a direction, encouraging progress rather than perfection as we step into a new year with renewed clarity and hope.
Typical New Year’s resolutions reflect a desire for self-improvement and fresh starts. Many people resolve to focus on their health - exercise more, eat better, drink more water, or just take time to rest and recharge. Some pin their resolutions on personal growth, such as to learn a new skill, read more books, or be more mindful and present. Financial goals are also common, with intentions to save money, pay down debt, or spend more thoughtfully. Relationships and well-being frequently appear on the list as well. People may resolve to spend more time with loved ones, set healthier boundaries, or practice gratitude and patience. What all of these have in common is a desire to become a better version of ourselves, a worthy goal.
Despite my aversion to NYRs, the physical and emotional tugs this year, and those peering over the horizon have prompted a little self-reflection on my own part. The idea of making a resolution or three brings them bounding to the surface like bubbles in a champagne glass. Exercise more. Lose weight. Organize my craft room. Save money. Pay off bills. Paint. Write. Go to Alaska. But true reflection, the desire to become a better version of myself, will require more than shedding a few pounds or cleaning house. It will require digging deep and pushing forward.
But my resolutions extend to my professional life as well. Where can 2026 take me? What do I want Fingernail Moon to become this year? Here’s the soul searching for business…
Learning and mastering new skills is not a resolution, it is a constant for me. I am in the shallow end of the pool and I continue to dog-paddle towards the deep. But this is a very big pool. Way too big for me to reach the deep. But that means there will always farther to paddle, more to learn. I find that exciting and look forward to never running out of new skills, new techniques, new ideas. But that is kind of a non-resolution resolution.
My work is “all over the place,” as they say. I do not have an identifiable style. This year I want to begin to explore my story more as I express it through my jewelry. My very wise daughter told me a little while back that I need to be the main character in the story of my life. And I realize that I need to bring that character into my jewelry and create a cohesive story. I want Fingernail Moon jewelry to tell a story to and for the people who wear it. When people see a piece of my jewelry, I want them to say, “hey, that’s from that Moon lady!”
I need to up my game with my business. I am a creator, not a business person. I am also very unorganized. I need to get on top of the business of business: setting up an email, keeping up with listings, getting into galleries, and even keeping up with taxes. Yes, boring. But it’s my resolution.
Sustainability is important to me. I try, in a hit or miss manner, to be as sustainable as possible, but I’m not there, not by a long shot. I want to be more intentional about that this year. Sometimes it is very difficult if not impossible to trace the source of all of the materials that we use in this field. But I can be more diligent in sourcing products. I intend to be more careful with the use and recycling of chemicals and products that I use, and to reduce studio waste. Every piece of paper that I recycle is one less that goes into a landfill. If I am careful of how I dispose of hazardous waste, it’s that much less pressure on the eco-system. If I only buy ethically sourced gems and minerals, it’s that much less stripped from the environment. I will do my best to lessen my impact on this fragile world of ours.
I still don’t know if I want to call these resolutions. These are just means to an end, what will help me create the life that I want to be in. In my personal life I want to be less stressed, more confident, and more engaged. In my professional life I want to be less stressed, more confident, and more engaged.
And there you have it, my non-NYRs for 2026. Now how’s your 2026 looking?