The countdown ends, the champagne pops and resolutions are whispered into the night.
But by the second week of January, most of them are already gone.
This is not because you’re lazy or don’t want it enough.
It’s because you’re trying to build a new life on the foundation of old wiring.
And that’s how most people stay stuck in the Sustainable Pain Zone —
where things are “fine”… but never really free.
You Can’t Set a Resolution from a Role You Don’t Want to Play Anymore
Most people set New Year goals from the same state of mind that caused their exhaustion:
- “This year I’ll finally get my health under control.”
- “This time I’ll speak up in my relationship.”
- “I swear I’ll stop overgiving.”
But the version of you who makes those promises is still shaped by:
- People-pleasing
- Overworking
- Avoiding conflict
- Emotional survival strategies
That’s not change.
That’s repetition disguised as ambition.
New Year, Same Patterns: Imagine Lena
Lena buys a new planner every year.
She writes her goals, color-codes them, builds a habit tracker.
But by February, she’s overwhelmed.
Because she’s still saying yes to everything.
Still overfunctioning at work.
Still minimizing herself at home.
She didn’t fail her goals.
She never left the system that made her feel unsafe to rest or say no.
New Year, Same Patterns: The Sustainable Pain Zone Can’t Be Outplanned
You can’t time-manage your way out of emotional patterns.
You can’t goal-set your way out of self-abandonment.
And you definitely can’t fix burnout with more effort.
That’s the trap of the Sustainable Pain Zone:
You’re doing everything “right” —
but it all feels slightly wrong.
📖 Make This the Year You Break the Pattern
You don’t need another new beginning.
You need to get honest about what’s been running your life so far —
and who you’re not allowed to be in it.
That’s why I wrote Escaping the Sustainable Pain Zone.
It’s not a motivational book. It’s a mirror.
And it will show you exactly where your wiring is still running the show.
🔗 Read the book here
Before you make another goal, get clear on who you want to be.
That’s how everything changes.
