Young woman dancing happily
Body & Soul
14.01.2026 Christin Müller 218

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. 
Group coaching: Achieving greater serenity and ease with tapping

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. 

zero How ILB makes employees crisis-proof

The ILB building in Potsdam
Leadership & HR
04.11.2024 Isabel Hempel 5599

Strengthening team resilience: How ILB makes employees crisis-proof

In this interview, Kathleen Wiesener, HR Development Officer at the Investitionsbank des Landes Brandenburg (ILB), sheds light on the importance of a strong team spirit and how targeted measures such as coaching, feedback culture and external moderation help to strengthen employees. She explains which strategies ILB uses to create a resilient working environment in which employees receive the support they need to be successful in crisis situations.

What does ILB mean by team resilience and why is it particularly important for the company?

For us, team resilience means the ability of a team to overcome challenges, crises or stressful situations together and emerge stronger. This includes cohesion, mutual support, good communication and trust within the group. A resilient team can adapt quickly to new circumstances and remains productive even in difficult times.

What specific challenges do you face in strengthening the resilience of your teams?

Digitalization presents our employees with considerable adjustment requirements. In addition, there are frequent reorganizations, for example due to new guidelines or efficiency measures. There is also a high workload in many areas due to sickness absences or unfilled expert positions as a result of the shortage of specialists.

How have you anchored the topic of team resilience in your organization?

ILB recognized team cohesion and resilience as key issues many years ago. We offer our employees systematic support from coaches and trainers from the pme Academy. We have succeeded in raising awareness among managers that good team dynamics promote well-being. This leads to fewer conflicts and less sickness-related absences and strengthens the team's performance.

How does the cooperation with the pme Academy work?

The pme Academy supports us in the organization of team meetings and the moderation of larger workshops - ranging from small teams of 4 people to entire areas with 80 participants. We also work together with their conflict moderators. Managers are part of the system and therefore cannot mediate neutrally, which is why external support is very valuable. There are also preventative offers that enable managers and employees to address conflicts and provide feedback.

Unleash the full potential of your managers and teams now.

Our trainers and coaches at the pme Academy support you in difficult transformation and change processes or analyze together how you can make even better use of your team's strengths. 

More information on the seminars and training courses: pme Academy

What effect do these offers have on your employees?

Our employees find these offers very helpful. They appreciate being able to talk about team spirit away from the daily work routine. Since the coronavirus pandemic, many have been working from home, which has led to fewer informal meetings and more social distancing. Hybrid or digital meetings are often very business-oriented, but personal interaction is crucial to strengthen bonds and a sense of community.

How do managers specifically support their teams in difficult times and ensure a resilient working environment?

We promote a sense of unity in a variety of ways in order to strengthen cooperation. Together with the workforce, we have developed guidelines for transparent, constructive communication, a lively feedback culture and cross-divisional collaboration.
Not only managers but also employees are responsible for regularly discussing and reflecting on these values. Regular team events offer the opportunity to maintain personal connections despite hybrid working models and to discuss common interests beyond work content.

What measures do you take to ensure that employees dare to speak openly about challenges or mistakes?

Dealing constructively with mistakes and challenges is firmly anchored in our vision of a learning organization. We promote transparency and encourage our managers to support their employees and adopt a solution-oriented approach instead of looking for someone to blame.

How does this work in practice? Are there tools and techniques for systematically talking about setbacks and mistakes?

We systematically integrate the topic of feedback into our annual appraisals and thus repeatedly raise awareness of its importance. There have also been campaigns on how to give constructive feedback, with newsletters, postcard campaigns and training measures.

What programs, training or resources do you offer to continuously promote the resilience of teams and individuals?

In addition to various communication training courses, such as conflict management, we offer teams the opportunity to call in external mediators or moderators for team building in times of crisis. The pme Familienservice is an important partner here.
In addition, all managers have the opportunity to choose a coach to support them in challenging situations. In day-to-day work, it's often all about the "what" and less about the "how". When a team is reassembled or a new manager is appointed, we support the process with targeted guidance.

How do you ensure that employees are not overwhelmed in stressful phases and remain productive?

Stress management is a key issue that we support through training for both our employees and managers. It is an essential part of management development so that they can protect themselves and their teams from overload and manage crises in a targeted manner. We also offer social counseling and practical support in difficult private and professional situations via an external partner.

We are currently experiencing a very strong polarization in society. Is this also noticeable in your teams? Are the conflicts growing?

My perception is that we are very reluctant to talk about politics, possibly to avoid conflict. I can only speak for my team here: It is very important to us to treat each other with respect, and that includes respecting different opinions. One example was the vaccination debate during the coronavirus pandemic, where there were both supporters and opponents. I experienced a lot of tolerance. Good cooperation is important to us and helps us to overcome crises together.