January resolutions: how hypnosis can facilitate personal change?

Chloe Berger
Mar 21
5 min read

January, with its promise of renewal and the freshness of a new year, is the perfect time to set new resolutions. It’s a period of introspection, a moment when we aspire to start the year on a new foundation, one that aligns more closely with our dreams and deepest values. New Year's resolutions are more than just a tradition; they are a real opportunity to create lasting change in our lives. This is a special time to pause, take a step back and ask ourselves: "What truly matters to me this year?

But here’s the thing: even though this moment seems ideal for initiating change, sticking to our resolutions isn’t always easy. Take, for example, those few extra pounds we want to lose or the desire to get back into exercising. The first challenges come quickly ; a freezing morning when staying under the covers feels more appealing, a long and busy workday, or sore muscles after the first workout… And then, the famous "tomorrow" keeps getting postponed, and little by little, motivation starts to fade.

#1 Why change can be difficult?

#2 How hypnosis can help

1 boosting motivation

2 reducing internal conflicts and resistance

3 reprogramming your habits

4 confidence and emotional management

#3 The importance of setting realistic and achievable goal

#4 Goals dynamics and hypnotic support

Conclusion: moving forward with confidence

Tip: formulate your goals in a positive way

#1 Why Change Can Be Difficult?

Change is never easy, and there are several reasons why, even with the best intentions, we may struggle to keep our resolutions. According to Baumeister (2015), our willpower is limited: our self-control resources gradually deplete throughout the day, often drained by daily decisions and distractions. Sometimes, our motivations are not as strong as we’d like, especially when our immediate desires, such as seeking comfort, conflict with our long-term goals (Uhrig, 2022).

This is often where change becomes even more challenging: part of us hesitates, doubts, or even self-sabotages without realizing it. These internal conflicts, often tied to deeply ingrained emotions and beliefs, make it difficult to maintain the consistency needed to establish lasting habits. Not to mention that once habits are firmly in place, they become automatic, and changing these patterns requires a process of reconditioning, which can sometimes feel like a real challenge (Uhrig, 2022).

#2 How can hypnosis help with change?

Hypnosis is a gentle and effective tool that works with the unconscious mind to gradually remove the barriers that make change more difficult.

Boosting Motivation
During a hypnosis session, you work on clarifying your goals and developing strategies to achieve them in collaboration with your unconscious mind. By addressing change at this level, it becomes easier to stay motivated and avoid the ups and downs that often hinder New Year's resolutions.
Reducing internal conflicts and resistance
Do you sometimes feel torn between what you want now and what you desire in the long term? Or between a part of you that wants to change and another that resists? During a session, the hypnosis practitioner can help you identify these tensions and work on the resistance, emotions, or limiting beliefs that fuel them. This process restores inner balance by reducing the obstacles that prevent change, making your journey smoother and more aligned.

Reprogramming your habits
Since habits are often the result of automatic behaviors, hypnosis allows you to reprogram these patterns by reshaping how your brain responds to certain situations. This makes it easier to adopt new habits that align with your resolutions.
Confidence and emotional management
Hypnosis also helps transform negative emotions that may sabotage your efforts by addressing emotional reactions that do not serve your goals. For example, it can reduce feelings of guilt or frustration linked to failure, creating a mindset conducive to success. In collaboration with a therapist, you can work on building confidence and perseverance in implementing change.

#3 Setting realistic and achievable goals

For your resolutions to be sustainable, it is essential to set realistic and achievable goals. It’s easy to get carried away by enthusiasm and aim too high, but this can sometimes lead to frustration and abandonment. As Ulrich (2022) points out, overly ambitious goals can be counterproductive. Hypnosis helps you refine your goals, make them more accessible, and strengthen your self-confidence. By working on your belief that you are capable of achieving them, you cultivate a sense of accomplishment that fuels motivation and prevents the pitfalls of repeated failure.

#4 Goal dynamics and hypnotic support

Hypnosis aligns perfectly with a goal dynamics approach, where professional guidance is essential to adjust goals throughout the process. A hypnosis practitioner can help clarify objectives, making them more suitable and achievable while providing emotional support during the journey. This approach transforms the way you perceive your goals, ensuring they align with your values and deep aspirations. The practitioner plays a key role in guiding you, offering emotional support, and allowing you to progress at your own pace with confidence. This method helps turn your goals into concrete and motivating projects while strengthening your commitment to change.

Conclusion: moving forward with confidence

January is the perfect time to initiate change and lay the foundation for a transformative year. However, it is natural to face internal obstacles that make it difficult to maintain resolutions. This is where hypnosis sessions can truly make a difference: it helps overcome resistance, strengthens motivation, clarifies emotions, and boosts confidence.

If you are ready to take the next step and make this year a true opportunity for transformation, hypnosis can provide the support you need to succeed where other strategies may have failed.

Would you like to explore how hypnosis can help you keep your resolutions and initiate lasting change? Contact me today for a personalized session and make 2025 the year of real transformation!

Tip: formulate your goals in a positive way

It is common to set resolutions in negative terms, such as "I don’t want to smoke anymore" or "I don’t want to be stressed." However, this approach can make change more difficult because the unconscious mind tends to focus more on what it must avoid rather than on what it wants to achieve. As demonstrated by the Reverse Effect Law, the more we consciously try to suppress a thought or behavior (for example, "don’t think of a pink elephant"), the more it persists (Thorndike, 1898; Reverse Effect Law, 2024).

Additionally, studies on the Zeigarnik Effect have shown that goals framed as prohibitions or resistance activate an internal struggle. Paradoxically, this can reinforce the very behaviors you are trying to change (Zeigarnik, 2025).

So how can you reverse this pattern? Use positive formulations! Instead of saying, "I don’t want to smoke anymore," try "I choose a healthier lifestyle." Replace "I don’t want to be stressed" with "I am becoming more serene every day." This simple adjustment helps your unconscious mind focus on constructive actions while fostering an inner sense of harmony.