Resolutions. Detoxes. Goals — SMART ones, even. Raise your hand if you’re sick of it all. The New Year has come around faster than I’d have liked. And along with it comes its pomp, circumstance, and fanfare. It’s not just the parties and the roundups and the inescapable ins/outs lists. It’s the never-ending parade of reminders that, according to everyone else, you should be doing better.

And now Veganuary is here. Or Dry January. Or whichever quick-fix detox or purge is clogging up your feed with promises of revolutionizing your life. But here’s what we should all accept: no magic diet, resolution, or lifestyle transformation is going to change your life overnight. This might be disappointing, but it’s not totally miserable. Because there’s hope. You can change your life — this is not some bleak nihilistic manifesto. All it takes are small, slow steps.

The truth is our obsession with becoming a brand-spanking new person when the ball drops in Times Square is misplaced. I’m not immune to the New Year, New Me fervor. But I’ve been there: struggling to stick to a list of vague vows, feeling overwhelmed, then giving up by mid-January.

In fact, 43% of all people expect to fail before February. A staggering 25% of people quit within the first week of setting their New Year’s resolutions. And though most people set them, only 9% stick with their resolutions through the end of the year. And who’s to say that 9% aren’t people only making easy resolutions? You never know.

Clearly, for 91% of us, something has to change. But what? And how?

Instead of resolutions, try routines and rituals. Rather than tackling a year of epic transformation, try adding a few fresh routines to your day. Those routines then become rituals, which gradually add up to growth. By easing your mind and body into less intimidating shifts in behavior, you stand a chance at becoming a more actualized version of yourself.

The most critical change you can make? Self-care. By leveling up your wellness rituals, you can create ripples that make waves in your entire life. Prioritizing rest will make you more productive. Adding movement into your day eases anxiety. And so on, and so on. And wellness can be easy if you allow it. All you have to do is start small.

Instead of promising yourself to go to the gym on January 1st, try something less intimidating like a home stretching routine. Then work up to more challenging home workouts. And then eventually you’ll make it to a gym or a studio.

Whatever your goal, by implementing tiny, attainable changes, you can hit the end the year with a sense of accomplishment and excitement rather than dread.

The key is keeping it attainable and enjoyable.

Here are some realistic ways to prioritize wellness starting right now:

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