Incremental Changes: New Year, Same You
By Melissa Smith
January arrives with crisp air and fresh resolve. As the calendar flips, so does an inner page, not to rewrite who we are, but to gently refine how we live. The promise of a new year is seductive, often wrapped in big goals and sweeping ambitions. But this year, I’m championing something quieter: incremental change.
At Hale Bone Broth, we talk a lot about nourishment, not just as a one-time fix, but as a practice of daily care. Bone broth itself is a perfect metaphor for slow transformation: hours of simmering draw out deep nutrition, creating something rich and steady from humble beginnings.
Rethinking Resolutions
Resolutions often start with dramatic declarations: ditch the sugar, overhaul your wardrobe, train for a marathon. And while there’s value in bold goals, many of us know how quickly they fade under pressure.
Incremental change asks a different question: What small shift can I make today that makes tomorrow just a little bit easier?
Instead of “new year, new you,” think “new year, more of the you who feels well, steady, and aligned.”
To support these small changes, we created the Hale 3-Day Reset. This reset isn’t about restriction; it’s about awareness. In just three days, our rich bone broth provides the deep hydration, along with amino acids and protein that support muscle growth and repair, that helps you rediscover what your body needs most.
Start with Warmth and Routine
For me, January still begins in the kitchen with a warm mug of bone broth. The heat steadies the body and the ritual steadies the mind. It’s not a dramatic overhaul, just a moment of nourishment that sets a tone of care.
Pick one small habit that fits you. It might be:
Drinking a glass of water with lemon each morning
Taking a 5-minute mindful breath break mid-day
Adding a cup of bone broth to lunch or dinner a few times a week
These seem minor alone. But repeated, they become foundations.
Celebrate Tiny Wins
Incremental change thrives on celebration. Did you walk an extra five minutes today? Great. Did you choose a nourishing lunch instead of a stress-eat? That matters. Recognizing these moments teaches your brain that small efforts are worthy.
Consistency beats intensity. A gentle daily habit builds resilience, a sturdy base on which larger ambitions may comfortably rest.
Make It Personal, Not Perfect
Your January doesn’t need to mimic anyone else’s. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s presence.
Maybe you love stretching in the morning but haven’t given yourself permission to do it in years. Or maybe you crave connection like a phone call to a friend once a week. These aren’t trendy resolutions; they’re nourishing choices for your unique life.
When I talk with customers at markets and events, the most resonant stories aren’t about dramatic transformations. They are about people who found a small habit that supported them through winters, workdays, and transitions.
Bone broth often enters the conversation, not as a miracle cure, but as a simple addition to routines that already bring joy and comfort.
End the Day with Reflection
Each evening, I jot down one thing I’m grateful for and one small habit that felt good today. This isn’t a checklist of perfection; it’s an acknowledgment of progress.
January doesn’t have to be about becoming a new version of yourself. It can be about embracing the version you already are, and offering that self a little more nourishment, patience, and care.
Incremental changes don’t make headlines, but they build lives worth living.
HALE BONE BROTH is crafted with pasture-raised, 100% grass-fed and grass-finished beef. Our small-batch broth is 100% grain-free and made with organic vegetables and spices. You can learn more and purchase here.