Why resolutions fail

🌑 The great January misconception

The Western world celebrates January 1 as a new beginning.
New goals. New energy. New me.

But nature says otherwise:
January is not spring. It is the depths of winter.

In TCM, this is the time of maximum yin:

• Retreat, not departure
• Collect, don't spend
• Strengthen roots, don't force flowers

👉 Those who pursue their goals in January with full yang energy (discipline, toughness, compulsion) work against natural energy — not with it.

The result? Exhaustion. Frustration. Giving up.
Not because you are weak.
But because you do the wrong thing at the wrong time.

💧 Wu Wei — The Power of Not Forcing

The ancient Taoist masters knew a principle that has been forgotten today:
Wu Wei (無為) — Acting through non-action.

That doesn't mean laziness. It means: Work with the flow, not against it.

Water defeats stone—not through force, but through persistence.

Water doesn't ask if the stone is ready. It just flows. Day after day. Drop by drop. And eventually, the stone gives way.

This is how real change works.

🧠 The Western Bridge: Habit Research

Modern neuroscience confirms what Taoists knew 2,500 years ago:

• Willpower is limited— it gets tired like a muscle
• Small habits beat big resolutions— The brain loves repetition, not revolution.
• Identity shapes behavior — not the other way around

The psychologist James Clear calls it the „1% rule“:
1% better every day. Not 100% starting tomorrow.

That is Wu Wei in modern terms.

🌿 The 5 principles of gentle change

1. Plant seeds — don't force flowers

In January, you plant. You don't harvest.

Practical:

• Instead of „I exercise for an hour every day“ → „I lay out my sports clothes every day.“
• Instead of „I meditate for 30 minutes“ → „I sit quietly for 2 minutes“
• Instead of „I'm only eating healthy food now“ → „I'm adding one warm meal a day.“

The seed needs darkness to germinate. Give it time.

2. Follow your energy — not the calendar

Your body has rhythms. Listen to them.

Feeling tired in the morning? Then it's not the right time for exercise.
Awake at night? Make the most of those hours.

📣 Insider tip: Observe when you have natural energy highs for a week — and put your new habits right there.

3. Make it ridiculously small

The greatest enemy of change is ambition.

Your mind says, „That's not enough, it won't work.“
The truth: Everything you do regularly shapes you.

• 1 glass of warm water in the morning → shapes a new identity
• 5 deep breaths before sleeping → forms a new identity
• 3 walnuts after getting up → forms a new identity

Never underestimate the power of small things.

📣 Insider tip: Warm water with lemon and a pinch of turmeric and pepper in the morning — stimulates the qi and warms you up at the same time.

4. Combine the new with the old

The brain hates new things. It loves connections.

The technique is called „habit stacking“:

• „After my morning coffee → I massage for 60 seconds Ni 03″
• „Before I go to bed → I drink warm water.“
• „When I went to the toilet → I take three deep breaths.“

This is how the new becomes part of the old.

5. Forgive yourself — every day anew

You will have days when nothing works out. That is not failure.
That is what it means to be human.

The old masters said:

„The wise man falls seven times. He gets up eight times.“

It's not the perfect week that counts. It's whether you start again the next day.

🌱 When will implementation begin?

You may be wondering, „If January isn't the time for action, then when is?“

TCM knows the answer—and it follows the light, not the calendar:

January (Water element):

• Planting seeds
• Set intention
• Start ridiculously small
• Practice patience

From February 4 (Li Chun / Candlemas):

• The energetic spring begins
• The wood element awakens
• Now: Aligning your own energy and power
• Resolutions are easier to keep — on their own

From March 21 (beginning of spring):

• The full energy of spring is here
• Now: Energetic action in the spirit of Wu Wei
• Stop fighting — flow with the energy instead
• Spring carries you

The art: Not too much in January. Align from February. Implement from March.

☯️ The TCM perspective: Liver qi and frustration

If you constantly put yourself under pressure, your Liver qi.

The signs:

• Irritability, frustration
• Tension in the shoulders and neck
• Sighing to release pressure
• The feeling of being stuck
• Headaches in the temples

The liver hates coercion. It loves free flow.

Acupressure tip:

Le 03 (Tài Chōng) — „Big Meeting“

• Location: Back of the foot, between the big toe and second toe, 2 fingers' width toward the ankle
• Effect: Moves liver qi, relieves frustration
• Application: In case of stress, press in a circular motion for 60 seconds.

👇 Detailed instructions:
www.meine-tcm.com/akupunkturpunkte/akupunkturpunkt-le-03

💫 The deeper message

January is not the month to revolutionize your life. It is the month to one single thing to plant — and to water them.

Nothing more.

Ask yourself today: Which seed would I like to plant? Not ten. One.

And then: Water it. Every day. Without expectation. That is Wu Wei. That is the art of not forcing. That is the way.

🌊 How blocked is your qi flow?

With our free TCM analysis, you can find out whether you have liver qi stagnation, kidney weakness, or other patterns:
👉 Start now: www.meine-tcm.com/tcm-analyse

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