A week into the new year, many of us are asking ourselves, "What happened to those goals I set for myself?" The cultural narrative is familiar: Set ambitious goals, push past discomfort, and emerge transformed.

For some people, this framing feels energizing and hopeful. For others, it feels out of sync—especially if their nervous systems are already working hard just to keep things steady. As you reflect on those New Year’s resolutions, it may be worth asking a quieter, but often more clinically meaningful question: Is this a year for bold reinvention, or is it a year for gentle reflection?

1. Your body is signaling serious or prolonged stress.

Our bodies often speak before our minds are ready to listen. Stress can show up as migraines, chronic pain, digestive problems, frequent illness, jaw or shoulder tension, disrupted sleep, or persistent fatigue.

When we are simply “not taking great care of ourselves,” these symptoms may come and go. With chronic or toxic stress, they tend to linger or intensify, even when we try to push through.

Toxic stress—the result of stressors that are intense, prolonged, and experienced without adequate support—can keep our physiology in a constant state of activation. In this state, change is harder, not because of a lack of willpower, but because the body is focused on survival.

Gentle reflection involves listening to these bodily cues as important information, rather than treating them as........

© Psychology Today