3 New Year's Resolutions to Fuel Your Spiritual Life

It has been a whirlwind of a year, full of constant change and emotional roller coasters. As we welcome the new year, most of us are accustomed to the list of resolutions that mostly revolve around things other than our spiritual lives. We resolve to exercise, to eat healthy, to read more, to take more pictures, and to be better and kinder people. While these are all noble changes to make, this year, I implore you to add the following small changes to your prayer and spiritual life if they are not already a common practice for you. I promise they will provide you with more inner peace and a strong spirit to tackle everything that God allows for your life in 2026 and onward.

1. Make daily prayer a priority

If your current prayer life looks something like grace before meals, going to Sunday Mass, and maybe the occasional intention for a friend or family member, like mine has at moments in my life, adding a daily time dedicated to speaking with God is a great resolution to implement this year. Most of us are so busy with work, taking care of family, and living out our daily vocations that prayer can often go to the wayside. But how can you expect to really know someone you don’t spend time speaking with each day? Instead of listening to your daily podcast or music on the way to or from work, dedicate one or the other to having a real conversation with God. Or if you need something more

guided, maybe read the daily gospel and spend a few minutes reflecting on what God’s message is for the day. Doing this in the morning is an especially great way to get the day started on the right foot.

2. Do a daily examination of conscience

Many of us, myself included, tend to only do a formal examination of conscience right before visiting the confessional. For a lot of us, that could be a couple of times a month to only once a year. While any time taken to do this is good, this really should be a daily practice so that we are living our faith the most effectively on a day-to-day basis and not only when we are facing a priest. The Ignatian Examen is one of the most well-outlined ways I have found to do this. It involves five steps:

1. Ask God to see your day through His eyes

2. Pinpoint the best part of your day and give thanks for it

3. Review your day and everything that happened to you and how you handled it.

4. Acknowledge where your shortcomings were

5. Look forward to tomorrow and resolve to do better

The Examen also includes praying an Act of Contrition. This can be completed in a few short minutes before ending the day, and helps guide you through where you saw God in your life, as well as where people could have seen or did see God acting in you.

3. Make time to visit the adoration chapel

Adding a weekly time to spend in the adoration chapel is another great way to propel your prayer life forward and maintain an intimate relationship with our Lord. Whether you only have 10 minutes or an hour, giving what you have of your time to be present with the Blessed Sacrament can impact your life in amazing ways and provide you with many graces in order to be more at peace when hardship does happen to come your way. If you are like me, it can be hard to know what to do once you are in the adoration chapel. Fortunately, there are many guides that people have created, and some are even outlined in 5-minute exercises. Another way to help keep yourself focused is by bringing a prayer journal to write in, but don't forget to leave quiet moments to hear God's voice!

Adding any or all three of these resolutions can make your year fruitful and faithful as well as provide freedom from stress and worry, as a well-nurtured and intimate relationship with the Lord provides trust in Him when life becomes difficult. Have a blessed, peaceful, and prayerful 2026!