Mid-Year Reset: Reignite Your Goals with Purpose and Compassion
January often arrives with bold resolutions and renewed hope—a clean slate for the version of ourselves we imagine becoming. Vision boards are made. Journals are opened. Promises are spoken aloud or silently affirmed.
Fast forward six months, and the glow of those fresh starts may have faded. If you’re feeling behind or disconnected from your goals, know this: You are not alone, and you're not failing. You're human.
At Walk With Me Counseling Center in Chicago, Illinois, we work with clients every day who are navigating the emotional terrain of feeling stuck, discouraged, or overwhelmed. Life rarely follows a perfect timeline—and motivation, like energy, ebbs and flows.
Whether the first half of 2025 brought success, struggle, or survival, the midpoint of the year is an opportunity: not to criticize yourself, but to gently check in, realign, and restart. Let’s explore how to do that with compassion and clarity.
Step 1: Reflect on Your Journey—Not Just the Finish Line
Our culture tends to glorify achievements while ignoring the effort and emotional growth it takes to reach them. Mid-year is the perfect time to slow down and ask:
l What have I accomplished so far—big or small?
l What have I survived or overcome?
l How have I grown emotionally, mentally, or spiritually?
Write it down. Say it out loud. Or share it with someone you trust. The act of reflection isn't self-indulgent—it’s grounding.
You may be surprised how much you've done when you take off the pressure to have it all together. Even if your progress isn’t what you hoped for, honoring your journey cultivates self-awareness and resilience.
Pro tip: Try journaling three small wins from the past week. They don’t have to be big. Getting out of bed on a hard day? Win. Setting a boundary at work? Win. Making space to feel your emotions? Huge win.
Step 2: Reframe the Setbacks
Let’s be honest—most of us didn’t stick 100% to our January goals. And that’s okay.
Setbacks aren’t failures. They’re data. When you learn to reinterpret stumbles through the lens of growth rather than shame, you unlock the door to lasting change.
�� Example:
Instead of: “I gave up on my fitness routine.”
Try: “My routine didn’t fit my energy or season. What might work better now?”
This shift is rooted in cognitive reappraisal, a concept in positive psychology that helps us process challenges with curiosity rather than judgment. It teaches self-compassion, and it’s one of the strongest tools for long-term motivation.
You can’t always control what happens—but you can choose how to relate to it.
Step 3: Reconnect With Your “Why”
Motivation isn’t just about drive—it’s about meaning. When our goals feel disconnected from our values, they become burdens instead of beacons.
Ask yourself:
l Why did I set this goal?
l Does it still align with who I am and what I value?
l Is there a deeper purpose I’m missing?
The expectancy-value theory reminds us that we pursue goals we believe are valuable and achievable. If your fire feels dim, it may be time to rekindle it with intention—or to update your goals to reflect your evolving self.
Sometimes our “why” gets buried under shame, deadlines, or unrealistic standards. Clear away the clutter and return to what truly matters to you.
Try revisiting a book, podcast, or quote that first inspired your goal. For many, James Clear’s Atomic Habits provides a helpful reset:
“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
Step 4: Simplify & Reset Your Habits
Let’s stop glorifying overwhelm. You don’t need a 5am routine and 10-step to-do list to feel successful. You need consistency—not complexity.
One of the biggest mistakes we make with goals is going too big, too fast. When we break goals into micro-steps, we allow the brain to register success, boost dopamine, and stay motivated.
l Want to read more? Start with 1 page a day.
l Want to exercise? Commit to 5 minutes, not 50.
l Want to journal? One sentence counts.
Reminder: If it’s not simple, it’s not sustainable.
Tiny, repeated actions are more powerful than sporadic bursts of motivation. Resetting doesn’t mean starting over—it means shifting with intention.
Step 5: Find Your Support System
The path to your goals shouldn’t be walked alone. Whether it’s a friend who checks in weekly, a therapist who helps you untangle your mindset, or an app that tracks your habits—accountability matters.
According to Baumeister & Tierney, self-monitoring is a core part of self-regulation. When we track progress—even emotionally—we build momentum and clarity.
Here’s how to build a motivational support network:
l Text a friend your top 3 goals for the month
l Listen to one motivational podcast a week
l Join a virtual community related to your goal
l Schedule regular therapy check-ins to reflect and adjust
Support doesn’t always mean cheerleaders. Sometimes it’s someone holding space for your fear, reminding you that you’re not behind—you’re becoming.
Step 6: Schedule Joy—Not Just Progress
This might be the most overlooked part of goal-setting: joy is fuel.
In our productivity-focused world, it’s easy to treat joy like a reward for crossing the finish line. But joy is what helps us get there in the first place.
Incorporate joy into your mid-year restart:
l Plan a weekend doing what feels good—not just what looks good on paper
l Schedule “nothing” time where you rest and reset
l Create rituals that bring beauty into your everyday (tea in the morning sun, a favorite playlist, a walk with no destination)
Joy is not a distraction from your goals. It’s a signal that you’re living with them.
Why This Mid-Year Reset Matters—Especially Now
2025 has been emotionally intense—from political tensions to personal burnout. We’re living in a time where external stress is high and internal pressure is even higher. This makes compassionate self-check-ins more important than ever.
A mid-year reset isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about pausing, recalibrating, and making space to feel again. To name what’s working. To release what’s not. To breathe before you sprint again.
And if you're struggling to reset emotionally, mentally, or spiritually, therapy can help.
At Walk With Me Counseling Center, You Don’t Have to Have It All Figured Out
You don’t need perfect goals or polished motivation to reach out for support. Therapy can help you uncover what’s underneath your stuckness, reignite what matters, and build momentum from where you are—not where you think you “should” be.
We offer a safe space that understands the layers of your life—culture, identity, fatigue, grief, and hope. You don’t need to translate your pain here. You’re already understood.
Walk With Me Counseling Center is here to help if you're overwhelmed by election stress or political disagreements. We offer virtual therapy sessions across Illinois, so support is just a click away no matter where you are—whether in Chicago or another part of the state.
Complete our Intake Form today and take the first step toward protecting your mental health during this intense election season.
Your mental well-being should be your top priority, especially during an election as heated as this one. Don’t let political stress, burnout, or personal stagnation weigh you down. Whether you’re in Chicago or elsewhere in Illinois, we’re here to help you regain emotional clarity and restart your goals with renewed energy and support.
