44. No Motivation to Set New Year Goals? 4 Reasons to Rethink Goal-Setting in January

January is often framed as the time to get serious about goals. But for many people living with anxiety symptoms, seasonal depression, PTSD, or chronic stress, winter brings low energy, brain fog, isolation, loneliness, and guilt instead of motivation.

In this episode, we take a trauma-informed look at goal-setting through the lens of seasonal biology. You’ll learn why winter can elevate stress hormones, reduce cognitive flexibility, and make planning feel unsafe, and why late spring and early summer are often more supportive for long-term goals.

Rather than pushing through, this conversation offers a gentler framework for winter: stabilize, rest, and protect your nervous system so you’re resourced enough to move forward when the season shifts.

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Keywords:

• anxiety symptoms

• seasonal depression

• winter depression

• mental health podcast

• trauma-informed healing

• PTSD and anxiety

• nervous system regulation

• burnout recovery

• goal setting anxiety

• New Year pressure

• winter motivation

• mental health in winter

• isolation and loneliness

• guilt and self-criticism

• emotional resilience