Emotional reset – start the new year with ease
New year, new resolutions—many people resolve to exercise more, eat healthier, or finally clean out the basement. However, there is one question they rarely ask themselves:
What does it actually look like inside me?
Working people in particular are familiar with this: a new year begins, the calendar is fresh, goals are defined—but internally, many things are still "unresolved": old worries, unresolved conflicts, high work pressure, family burdens, constant stress.
An emotional reset can help you to recognize this inner baggage, sort it out, and let it go within realistic limits—allowing you to start the new year with a clearer head.
Read more in this article:
What is an emotional reset—and what is it not?
We know the term "reset" from technology: restarting something after it has "frozen."
Applied to the emotional level, an emotional reset means:
You consciously consider your emotional situation and make decisions about what relieves you and what you would like to prioritize differently in the future.
An emotional reset is therefore a conscious emotional restart that can help you regain clarity, stability, and the ability to act.
Specifically, this means:
- pause
- look instead of just functioning
- Distinguish: What can stay? What can be reduced or eliminated?
Equally important is what an emotional reset is not:
- No "getting rid of" unpleasant feelings
- No "I'm only thinking positively now"
- No program to become even more efficient
Pause, take a deep breath, restart.
Feelings such as fear, sadness, or anger are not disorders, but indicators: they show where boundaries are being crossed, where needs are not being met, or where something does not fit with your values.
So you are not "broken" just because you feel exhausted, irritable, or overwhelmed. Often, there is simply too much going on at once—especially when your career, personal life, and your own expectations all come together.
How to tell that an emotional reset could do you good
Typical signs that your internal system is overloaded:
- Constant tension: Your body is constantly on alert.
- Irritability: You quickly become annoyed or hurt—both at work and in your private life.
- Emotional ups and downs: one day full of energy, the next feeling burnt out.
- Rumination: Your thoughts keep circling around the same topics in the evening or at night.
- Avoidance: You distract yourself a lot so as not to feel unpleasant emotions.
- Loss of joy: Things that you actually enjoy feel exhausting or like a chore.
These signals show that a lot has built up. An emotional reset starts right here—with a structured but achievable look at what you are currently carrying.
Why an emotional reset at the beginning of the year makes sense
The beginning of the year is a natural time for reflection and reorientation:
- What went well last year?
- What caused me stress or overwhelmed me?
- What would I like to do differently in the new year?
The focus is often on external issues: job, goals, organization, health, finances. An emotional reset complements this perspective with the inner level:
- What feelings and issues from last year am I still carrying around with me?
- Which situations or people have caused me particular emotional distress?
- What inner sentences accompany me constantly, for example:
- • "I can't afford to make any mistakes."
- • "I have to be strong."
- • "I mustn't disappoint anyone."
This makes the beginning of the year an opportunity to consciously review not only your calendar, but also your inner focus—and to start where you need relief.
Emotional reset in 4 steps: letting go of emotional baggage
You don't have to turn your whole life upside down to reset your emotions. Even small, consistent steps—setting clearer boundaries, consciously questioning a thought, taking a short break seriously—can make a big difference.
How can you lighten your load in the new year? Take stock of what you have.
Try these steps individually or one after the other.
Step 1: Pause – Take honest stock
Take 10 to 15 minutes, preferably without interruptions. All you need is paper and a pen.
Questions to get you started:
- What has weighed most heavily on me emotionally over the past year?
- Which situations or people keep popping up in my thoughts?
- Which feelings have I particularly often suppressed (e.g., fear, anger, sadness, shame)?
Write everything down without filtering it. Pay attention to repetitions—these often reveal your main themes. This step creates clarity, which is the basis for change.
Step 2: Sorting – What should be made easier?
Imagine you are carrying a backpack into the new year. Inside it are:
- old worries
- unfulfilled expectations
- self-criticism
- feelings of guilt
- Annoyance and disappointment
Ask yourself:
- Which of these things do I no longer want to carry so heavily?
- Which one or two topics should take up less space in the new year?
You don't have to solve anything right away. It's enough to clearly identify the problem, for example:
- "I want to feel less pressure to always be perfect."
- "I don't want to replay the old argument in my head every day anymore."
This inner "Stop, not like this anymore" is already a central step in the emotional reset.
Step 3: Set new boundaries – reduce overload
Emotional pressure often arises when people constantly push themselves beyond their limits—especially in their everyday working lives:
- Saying yes, even though inside you clearly want to say no
- Taking responsibility for issues that are beyond one's sphere of influence
- constantly putting one's own needs last
Ask yourself:
- In which areas have I regularly ignored my limits over the past year?
- What drained me emotionally in particular?
Small, concrete steps could include:
- cancel or shorten an appointment
- Set clearer boundaries for availability (both professionally and privately)
- delegate a task or start it later
- Say in conversation: "I can't afford that much."
This will help you gradually reduce what is permanently overwhelming you.
Step 4: Nurture – Make space for what is good for you
Letting go of emotional baggage also means consciously incorporating more of what strengthens you.
Ask yourself:
- What really gives me strength?
- When do I feel calm, clear, or authentic?
Examples may include:
- Time in nature
- Conversations with people you feel safe with
- quiet time without a screen
- a creative or practical activity
- gentle movement
- short, deliberate breaks in everyday life
Choose something that is realistic and consciously integrate it into your weekly routine.
This will turn the emotional reset into a process that not only relieves stress but also strengthens your resilience.
Methods that support your emotional reset
Writing things down helps to organize your thoughts.
You don't have to let go of emotional baggage "on the spot." Different approaches that are suitable for everyday life can accompany you—without a rigid program.
- Writing: Short notes or a journal help to structure thoughts and feelings.
- Conscious breaks: short interruptions in your daily routine during which you don't have to react, but can just take a deep breath.
- Conversations: Talk to people you trust or seek professional help (e.g., counseling, coaching).
- Exercise: walks , taking the stairs instead of the elevator, simple stretching exercises—any form of exercise helps reduce stress.
- Body awareness: briefly noticing how you are sitting or standing, how you are breathing, can help you reconnect with yourself.
- Tapping (acupressure tapping): Tapping , also known as acupressure tapping, is much more than just "first aid" in tense moments. The method is an effective tool for actively working through emotional baggage and gradually letting it go.
- By gently tapping certain points while focusing inwardly on a stressful issue, you can gradually reduce its emotional intensity. This allows you to permanently change deeply ingrained patterns—instead of just managing them.
In the group coaching session "More serenity and ease with tapping," you will learn and apply a method for promoting emotional resilience. Discover how you can free yourself step by step from stressful feelings and limiting thought patterns in order to achieve a positive attitude toward life.
The important thing is not which method you choose, but that you give your inner signals space and take the first steps. Everything else can develop at your own pace and in a way that suits your life.
