Key Takeaways
- 1Finishing one meaningful commitment like Vlogmas can rebuild your self trust more than any vision board.
- 2Procrastination often comes from phone habits and mindless scrolling, not from tasks actually being hard.
- 3A real new year reset starts with honest reflection on where you showed up and where you checked out, not with perfect aesthetics.
- 4Celebrating your work with a thoughtful reward helps your brain connect discipline with joy, not only sacrifice.
- 5Picking one small promise each week and keeping it is a simple way to prove to yourself that you are someone who finishes what you start.
How do you actually stop procrastinating before the new year and finish the things you say you will do?
If you typed "how to stop procrastinating before the new year" or "new year reset ideas for 2025" and somehow landed here, you are in the right place. I just wrapped up Vlogmas, twenty five days of daily uploads, and I learned a lot about discipline, screen time, Christmas Eve chaos and keeping promises to myself. I have been sharing my life and mindset online since I was eleven, so I have had a front row seat to how small habits stack up over time.
This vlog started as a “vision board” day and turned into something better: a real look at last minute errands, tired moments, late night editing, and that wild mix of “I am exhausted” and “I am so proud of myself.”
So… how did we end up Christmas shopping at 5 p.m.?
Let us be honest. Procrastination around the holidays hits different.
I slept in, finally had a slow morning, and by the time I got moving it was already late afternoon. Stores were closing early for Christmas Eve, I still needed boxes, gift cards, and presents for people I love. On top of that, I kept stalling in the car, scrolling on my phone and sitting in the parking lot like I had nowhere to be.
If that feels familiar, here is what I noticed:
- I was not avoiding the task because it was hard. I just reached for my phone out of habit.
- “I will go in in a minute” turned into ten minutes. Then twenty.
- The longer I waited, the more pressure I felt.
In that moment I realized how many hours of my life slip through my fingers this way. Not from huge choices, just tiny “let me check something real quick” moments that add up.
One of my firm intentions for 2025: only pick up my phone with a clear purpose. Not to run from a task. Not to fill empty space. If I go on my phone, it needs a reason.
What did Vlogmas teach me about finishing what you start?
Vlogmas sounds cute until you are editing at 2:39 a.m. on Christmas Eve, half delusional, in your Skims style top from White Fox, still talking to the camera.
Here is the truth:
I had never completed Vlogmas before. I always fell off at some point. This year, I did it. Twenty five videos in twenty five days.
That took:
- Saying “no” to a lot of extra chill time
- Late nights at my desk instead of going to sleep
- Filming even when I did not feel “on”
- Showing up for the video that came out today, not only the “huge goals” version of me in my head
When I uploaded that final vlog, something shifted. I did not just feel proud of the content. I trusted myself more.
Finishing Vlogmas reminded me:
- I am capable of way more than my comfort likes to admit
- Discipline is not this scary monster, it is just repeating small choices that line up with who I say I am
- When I keep promises to myself, my confidence grows from the inside, not from numbers or comments
If you struggle to finish what you start, you do not need a perfect planner. You need one thing that you will actually complete, even if it costs you some comfort in the short term.
How do you reset for the new year when your life still feels messy?
A lot of people picture a “new year reset” as this perfectly organized montage. Fresh flowers, clean apartment, new notebooks, matching PJs. That is cute, but my real reset looked like:
- Running to Marshalls and CVS right before closing
- Picking up puzzles and Barbie furniture for my little sister Arya
- Tossing gifts into pop up boxes on the floor
- Realizing the trash pickup was not happening on Christmas and dragging the bag back inside
- Taking down Christmas decor so I can finally finish decorating my home after
It did not look perfect. It looked like real life.
A new year reset is not about a flawless aesthetic. It is about awareness:
- Where did I drop the ball this year? (For me: planning gifts, time on my phone, sleep schedule)
- Where did I show up for myself in a big way? (Vlogmas, work ethic, mindset)
- What do I want more of in 2025, and what do I want less of?
You can ask yourself those same questions tonight. No glitter pen required.
How do you reward yourself without losing your progress?
I knew I wanted to celebrate finishing Vlogmas with something memorable. My gift to myself: a cruise in January.
Going on a trip solo sounds scary to some people, especially when the location is literally a boat in the middle of the ocean. For me, it feels like a celebration of growth. I moved out, learned to live alone, built self trust, and worked my butt off this month. I deserve views, room service, and sun on my skin.
Here is how I look at it:
- A reward should match the level of effort you put in
- It should feel exciting, not draining
- It does not have to be huge, but it should feel special to you
For you, that might look like a solo spa day, a short trip, a cute dinner, a class you have wanted to try, or simply a weekend with your phone on do not disturb.
The main thing: celebrate your wins on purpose. Do not just rush into the next grind without pausing to say, “Wow, I did that.”
What does “next level you” look like in 2025?
Near the end of the night, I made hot cocoa, looked into the camera, and said out loud how proud I am of myself.
I told future me:
“I cannot wait to see what you do in 2025. You rock. You are cool, and I love you.”
That might sound silly, talking to yourself like that. Try it anyway.
Here is a simple exercise:
- Picture the version of you at the end of 2025.
- What did they finish that you keep putting off now?
- How do they talk to themselves?
- What tiny habit did they stick with that changed everything?
Then, before you close this tab, pick one thing you can finish this week. Wrap that last gift, send that email, book that class, film that video, clean that one corner of your room.
Not the whole life makeover. Just one clear action that proves to your brain: “When I say I will do something, I follow through.”
That is how you step into the new year with confidence. Not from a perfect reset, but from proof that you can trust yourself.
