January can feel exhausting. Everywhere you look, there’s pressure to reinvent yourself. Pick a word, set massive goals, commit to a “new year, new you” transformation. We know how this annual ritual can affect you with unnecessary pressure, and we want to offer a different perspective. You don’t need a dramatic resolution to grow. Let’s talk about sustainable growth.
We can all acknowledge that sometimes we don’t stick with New Year’s resolutions and often times, they fizzle out by February. But it’s not that people lack willpower or discipline. The resolution model itself is flawed because it creates all-or-nothing thinking that leads to shame spirals when we stumble. It ignores the progress you’ve already made. It puts arbitrary pressure on January 1st as a “fresh start” when every day offers that opportunity. And perhaps most importantly, it focuses on what’s wrong rather than building on what’s working. As therapists, we spend a lot of time helping clients undo the damage caused by this kind of black-and-white thinking. So why do we keep participating in it every January?
Start by Looking Back, Not Forward
Before you think about 2026, take a moment to acknowledge 2025. What did you actually accomplish last year? And we mean everything, not just the highlight reel. Did you get through a difficult week? Have one honest conversation you’d been avoiding? Ask for help when you needed it? Set a boundary, even a small one? Show up for yourself in any way? These aren’t Instagram-worthy achievements, but they’re the real building blocks of growth.
We call this “noticing what’s working,” and it’s one of the most powerful tools for sustainable change. When you recognize what you’re already doing well, you create momentum rather than starting from a deficit. Think about a time you learned something new, maybe a skill at work or how to use a new piece of technology. You probably didn’t wake up one day and suddenly know how to do it perfectly. You tried, messed up, adjusted, tried again. That’s how real growth works, not through sweeping declarations on January 1st but through small, messy, imperfect steps forward.
The most lasting changes come from small, consistent actions, not sweeping declarations. You didn’t learn to walk by setting a resolution. You fell down, got back up, tried again. Growth is messy, nonlinear, and often invisible until you look back and realize how far you’ve come.
The 2026 Possibility Bingo Card
Instead of a resolution this year, we’re inviting you to try something different. A year-long bingo card filled with 25 small possibilities. Not obligations. Not achievements to unlock your worth. Just tiny invitations to try something, notice something, or show up for yourself in a new way.
The bingo format changes everything because there’s no hierarchy. Nothing on the card is more important than anything else. There’s no timeline either, so you can start anywhere, anytime throughout the year. There’s no pressure to “win” because getting bingo isn’t the point. The invitation to try is what matters. You get built-in variety because you’re not putting all your eggs in one resolution basket. And there’s room to breathe since 25 options means you can skip what doesn’t work and try what does. This approach embodies several therapeutic principles we use at our practice, like behavioral activation where small actions combat depression and build momentum. It encourages self-compassion because there’s no failure, only information about what works for you. It helps with values clarification so you can identify what actually matters to you rather than what you think should matter.
Here’s how to create your card. First, download your printable card here. Then fill in your squares with small, specific actions across different areas of your life. The key is to make them achievable and concrete. Instead of “exercise more,” try “take a 10-minute walk.” Instead of “be more social,” try “text a friend first.” Put it somewhere visible like your fridge, in your planner, or snap a photo for your phone. The goal is to see it regularly without pressure. Finally, mark off squares as you go, or don’t. There’s no deadline. No judgment if you complete one square or twenty. This is about creating gentle opportunities, not another source of stress.
Bingo Card Ideas to Get You Started
Not sure what to include on your card (download here, in case you missed it!). Here are some ideas across different areas of life. Mix and match what resonates with you or use these as inspiration to come up with your own.
Mental Health & Self-Care
- Journal for 10 minutes
- Try a guided meditation
- Take a day off without guilt
- Say no to something you don’t want to do
- Compliment yourself out loud
- Delete one app that drains you
- Ask for help with something
- Spend 20 minutes doing absolutely nothing
Relationships & Connection
- Text a friend first
- Have coffee with someone new
- Tell someone what you appreciate about them
- Set a boundary and stick to it
- Call instead of text
- Plan a fun outing with a loved one
- Apologize for something
- Join one online or in-person community
Physical Wellness
- Try one new recipe
- Drink water first thing in the morning
- Take a walk outside
- Stretch for 5 minutes
- Go to bed 30 minutes earlier
- Dance to one song
- Try a new movement activity
- Schedule a check-up you’ve been avoiding
Creativity & Joy
- Read a book you’ve been putting off
- Try a creative hobby for 20 minutes
- Visit a new place in Tampa
- Take a photo of something beautiful
- Listen to a new music genre
- Watch a documentary
- Draw or doodle
- Sing loudly in your car
Personal Growth
- Learn three words in a new language
- Listen to a podcast episode
- Attend a workshop or class
- Practice a skill you want to improve
- Write down three things you’re grateful for
- Unfollow accounts that make you feel bad
- Organize one small space
- Try something that scares you a little
What Sustainable Growth Actually Looks Like
Sustainable growth happens when you meet yourself where you are, not where you think you should be. That might mean celebrating small wins instead of waiting for big ones. It could look like adjusting your expectations based on your current capacity, not some idealized version of yourself. It definitely includes recognizing that rest is part of growth, not the opposite of it.
Some months you might check off five bingo squares. Other months you might be in survival mode and that’s okay. Maybe you’ll realize halfway through the year that half your squares don’t actually interest you anymore, and you’ll want to make a new card. Perfect. That’s self-awareness, which is its own form of growth. The point isn’t to complete a checklist. It’s to stay curious about yourself and keep taking small steps in directions that feel good.
What if you don’t complete your bingo card? Then you’ve succeeded at the actual goal, which is being gentle with yourself. The bingo card isn’t a test. It’s not another way to measure your worth or prove you’re “doing enough.” It’s simply a creative tool to help you notice opportunities for growth that already exist in your everyday life. If you complete one square in 2026, that’s one more small act of care than you committed to on January 1st. If you complete none but the card helped you reflect on what you actually want versus what you think you should want, that’s valuable too.
If you find that you’re struggling to create momentum, feeling stuck in patterns you want to change, or just need someone to talk to about what growth could look like for you, that’s exactly what therapy is for. Our team at Tampa Counseling Place works with clients on everything from anxiety and depression to life transitions and relationship issues. And yes, we can help you figure out what sustainable growth looks like for your unique situation. Sometimes the most important step is asking for support, and that counts as growth too.
Your Invitation for 2026
This January, we’re inviting you to try something radically different. Acknowledge how far you’ve already come and then get curious about small possibilities rather than big resolutions. Download your bingo card. Fill it with things that sound interesting, nourishing, or even just mildly appealing. Put it somewhere you’ll see it. Then let it be a gentle companion for the year, not another taskmaster.
You’re already growing. You don’t need to manufacture that. You just need to notice it, nurture it, and trust that small steps in the right direction are enough. We see it all the time in our work. The clients who make the most progress aren’t the ones who set the biggest goals. They’re the ones who show up consistently, treat themselves with compassion when things get hard, and celebrate the tiny victories along the way.
So here’s to a year of small possibilities instead of big pressure. Here’s to noticing what’s already working. Here’s to growth that feels sustainable instead of exhausting. And here’s to being exactly where you are right now, which is a perfectly fine place to start.
Ready to explore what sustainable growth looks like for you? The therapists at Tampa Counseling Place are here to support you. Contact us to schedule a consultation and start your journey toward sustainable, compassionate change.
