Maybe you don’t set New Year’s resolutions, or maybe you’re just tired of the same old-same old.

If you’re ready for something different this year, try setting resolutions like these instead:

This year I plan to…

• Do something that matters
• Take intelligent risks
• Find daily joy
• Lead with my heart

Reflect

In other words, try thinking about the big picture. What would really make you happy? What would improve your life, if you knew it were equally possible that you might die tomorrow or that you might live to be a hundred and fifty? What would you like to share with your loved ones?

Then resolve to do more of that.

Breaking it down

The origin of the word resolution is literally:

“a breaking into parts,” from L. resolutionem (nom. resolutio) “process of reducing things into simpler forms”

That can be taken two different ways: turning a larger goal into the component steps necessary to achieve it (and then following those steps), or simplifying your life by reducing it down to what’s really important. And while normally I’m all about the SMART goals, in this case a little simplicity makes a huge difference.

Yes, you may still want to do things like lose 10 pounds or finally set up that Roth IRA. And those are excellent goals. But make sure something that matters to you — deep down inside — makes it into a resolution for change.