As January arrives, there is often a quiet pressure to decide who we are going to be this year.

New habits. New routines. A sense that January 1st might act as a reset button, allowing us to finally achieve what felt difficult or out of reach before.

Almost 20 per cent of people in the UK plan to make at least one new year’s resolution going into 2026, with health-related goals topping the list. 

And yet, by the end of the year, many people find themselves feeling disappointed. Around a quarter of those who set resolutions in 2025 reported that they were unable to stick to any of them.

This isn’t a failure of willpower.

It’s a reflection of how change really works.

Why can it be so hard to keep new year’s resolutions?

Many resolutions, particularly those focused on health, fitness, sleep or lifestyle, don’t offer immediate rewards. The benefits take time to show themselves. 

Motivation can fade long before results arrive, especially when old habits feel familiar and comforting during moments of stress, fatigue or emotional overload.

We often try to change behaviour at a surface level, without addressing why those patterns exist in the first place.

Alongside common advice such as setting realistic goals and breaking them into manageable steps, there is another gentle yet powerful approach worth considering: hypnotherapy.

Can hypnotherapy help you keep your resolutions?

Hypnotherapy works by helping you explore the underlying causes of behaviours and habits that no longer serve you. Rather than forcing change through discipline alone, hypnotherapy invites curiosity and self-understanding.

Through guided relaxation, you are supported to access the subconscious mind, the part of us where beliefs, emotional responses and long-standing patterns are stored. This is often where habits are formed and maintained, even when consciously we want something different.

By working at this deeper level, hypnotherapy can help you:

• Understand the emotional drivers behind unhelpful habits
• Release limiting beliefs that keep you stuck
• Gently disengage from patterns that feel automatic
• Build new, supportive behaviours that feel more natural and sustainable

Developing a solution-focused mindset

Another benefit of hypnotherapy is the development of a more solution-oriented mindset. Change rarely happens in a straight line. Setbacks are part of being human.

Rather than viewing challenges as failure, hypnotherapy can help you respond with flexibility and self-compassion. This makes it easier to adapt, problem-solve and continue moving forward, instead of slipping back into familiar patterns when things feel difficult.

How does hypnotherapy work?

During a hypnotherapy session, you are guided into a deeply relaxed state where the mind becomes more receptive and focused. You remain aware and in control throughout.

In this state, it becomes possible to reframe beliefs, soften mental blocks and create space for new, empowering habits to form. This might support goals such as:

• Developing a healthier relationship with food
• Feeling more motivated to move your body
• Establishing a calmer bedtime routine and improving sleep
• Letting go of self-sabotaging behaviours

As the year unfolds, hypnotherapy offers a way to approach change with kindness rather than pressure, supporting progress that feels steady, personal and sustainable.

Change doesn’t need to feel forced or rushed. If you’re considering hypnotherapy and would like a calm, supportive space to explore what’s getting in the way, you’re very welcome to reach out.