NEW YEAR'S resolutions officially OUT

What's in, you ask? New Year's intentions, aka the strategy that'll *actually* make all your end-of-December dreams come true.

- AUTUMN SAHAR

You grab your gel pens, open to a fresh page of your bullet journal and start to draft your New Year's resolutions. And, - tbh, 2025 has never looked better. According to your list of goals, you'll be getting straight A's, committing time to your fave hobbies, making tons of new buds and basically figuring out your entire life.

By mid-January, you're rocking it already. You nailed that first book report of the semester, hit the track after school, wrote two songs and planned a surprise birthday bash for your BSF. Score!

Then, February enters the chat. Between that massive history project on the horizon, basketball practice and weekly catch-up calls with your bestie, life is getting busy. Suddenly, you feel like you don't have a free moment to take a breath...much less beat your PR or play piano.

Losing momentum on your resolutions can be a confidence killer, but it's not just you: Experts say our brains are hardwired to fail at the task.

Turns out vowing to become a "new you" as soon as the clock strikes midnight isn't likely to stick. "There's evidence showing that New Year's resolutions don't really work in the long run," says therapist Lindsay Thompson. "Instead, setting intentions for the new year can help you create long-lasting and meaningful change."

So what's an intention, exactly? And how are they different from the promises you make (and low-key break) each year?

It's likely you've heard the word before (maybe on Manifestation TikTok or in a mindful yoga class), but understanding what it really means might be the secret to bringing your vision board to life. We've teamed up with the pros to explain it all-so prepare to meet the best and brightest version of you.

(Step 1) CHILL OUT & CHECK-IN