If you learn to harness the energy of your mind and the energy available to you in the universe, you’ll be able to make this year your best year yet.

So if you love new year’s resolutions, or you’re just an ambitious witch who is into goal-setting, I’m talking to you! Here are five magical ways to help you stay on track with even the most challenging intentions.

Manifesting Big New Year’s Resolutions With The Moon

Moon magic can help you achieve big new year’s resolutions that will take weeks or months to accomplish. You can work with the different lunar energies that occur as the moon moves through its cycles to help you stay motivated over an extended period of time.

For example, let’s say your new year’s resolution is to write a book.

The first step is to figure out what exactly what you’ll need to accomplish to write a book.

Make a list of every task you can think of. Your list might look something like this:

• pick a topic
• research the topic
• create an outline
• write a rough draft
• edit the rough draft
• have a critique group look at your work, or hire an editor to help you polish your writing
• Explore publishing options

Since this is a goal you’re looking to achieve in one year, you can use the energy of twelve full moons to help you manifest your book.

Now, look at your list of tasks, and divide them up by moon. Your plan might look like this:

January Moon

Tasks to complete:

• pick a topic
• research the topic

February Moon

Tasks to complete:

• Create an outline

March Moon—July Moon

Tasks to complete:

• write a rough draft (about two pages a day)

Continue this process all the way through the December moon.

Next, focus on one moon at a time. If the January moon goes from 1/16-2/14, write down the dates of the different moon phase for that month. (Include the two days before and the two days after when noting the new moon or full moon dates.) You’ll end up with five days for a new moon, about two weeks for the waxing moon, five days for the full moon, and about two weeks for the waning moon.

For example:

Dates of the January Moon Phases:

New moon—1/14-1/18

Waxing moon—1/19-1/28

Full moon—1/29-2/2

Waning moon—2/2-2/13

Now divide your tasks into the different moon phases, keeping in mind the specific energies of each moon phase. The new moon is a time for planning and setting intentions for the next twenty-eight days. Waxing moon energy is great for making progress on goals, taking lots of action, creating things, and doing high energy tasks. The full moon is a time for celebration, acknowledging all you’ve accomplished so far, and being inspired. The waning moon is a time for releasing what is no longer serving you, slowing down, going inward, and being efficient with your energy.

This list might look something like this:

New moon tasks

• Get a notebook or create a folder on your computer to plan and compose your book
• Make a list of book ideas

Waxing moon tasks

• Take your ideas and distill them into specific book topics
• Do preliminary research on the different topics to see which one will work the best for your book

Full moon tasks

• Pick a topic
• Gather resources that you’ll use for research
• Celebrate this first milestone

Waning moon tasks

• Read through the resources
• Take notes, pulling the info you need from your resources and discarding the information you don’t need

Do this for each moon until you’ve reached your goal. You might find it helpful to keep a journal and note your different moods and energies as the moon changes phases. Stay flexible with your task list. If you don’t feel like doing a certain task or you’d rather do a task out of order, experiment with following your intuition. Make adjustments to your plans as necessary.

Moon Energy & Habits

Habit-based new year’s resolutions are very popular because people feel like they have a blank slate to begin their new behavior. The issue people sometimes run into when making new habits is that once they miss a day or two of doing the habit, they risk becoming derailed and giving up on the resolution completely. This “all-or-nothing” approach to forming habits makes it difficult to maintain your new behaviors on a long-term basis.

If you use the changing energies of the moon, you can add flexibility to your habits, and create a plan for what to do when you don’t feel like doing your new routine.

First, rewrite your habit-based resolutions so they’re a bit broader.

For example instead of saying, “I will go to the gym every day.”, say “I will exercise every day.”.

Next, make a list of all the ways you can work out. Then divide them by what moon phase energy that activity would best match.

That list might look like this:

Ways to Exercise Every Day

New Moon Ideas (New beginnings energy)

• Sign up for a workout class
• Try a new hike
• Start a new strength training regiment

Waxing Moon Ideas (High intensity and creating energy)

• Go jogging
• Take a kickboxing class
• Hit the gym
• Mountain biking
• Snowboarding

Full Moon Ideas (Social and celebratory energy)

• Dance around in my room
• Run a 5k race
• Play basketball
• Organize a game of kickball

Waning Moon Ideas (Quiet, restful energy)

• Walk the dog
• Do yoga
• Practice Tai Chi
• Canoeing
• Take a leisurely bike ride down a scenic back road

Feel free to do your new habit any way you like, regardless of what moon phase it is. But if you ever feel like not sticking to your new year’s resolution, check what moon phase you’re in, and notice if that’s had any kind of effect on your mood or motivation. Pick an activity you’ve listed under that moon phase to stick to your resolution.

If you miss a day, get back to it the next day. Like phases of the moon, you aren’t going to have the same energy every day. It’s natural to go through periods of high activity and restfulness. Honor those needs within yourself. Don’t be afraid to change up your routine whenever you feel like it.

Crystal Magic For New Year’s Resolutions

Each of these crystals has a special energy that can support you as you strive towards your goals and uphold your new year’s resolutions.

Amethyst

This lovely purple crystal is often called the “sobriety stone”. It’s perfect for healing addictions and releasing bad habits. This is a stone you can place in areas around your home where you know you’ll likely be triggered to fall back into an unwanted habit. If you’re looking to eat healthier, place this stone in your kitchen, your pantry, or even as a centerpiece on your dinner table.

Smoky Quartz

This stone can absorb unwanted thoughts, feelings, or desires you are having, as well as any energy you want to release—anger, frustration, hopelessness, or overwhelm. It also promotes happiness and peacefulness. This is a wonderful stone to use if you’re starting to feel your mood dip and you’re having doubts about sticking to your new year’s resolutions.

Carnelian

This is one of my favorite stones. It increases motivation, passion, and optimism. Meditate while holding this stone or use it in a spell whenever you worry that your willpower is waning.

Elemental Magic To Boost Your New Year’s Resolutions

The elements of earth, water, fire, and air bring powerful energy to any kind of magic you perform. These elements can help you keep your new year’s resolutions if you call on them for support.

To use elemental magic, first look at your list of new year’s resolutions.

Divide your desired goals and new habits by element. It’s ok to get a bit abstract here. If you’re not sure, go with your first thought. Don’t overthink this part.

For example:

“I will cook healthy food six days a week.” This could be categorized as an earth-based goal because food is sometimes associated with the abundance of the earth.

“I save $5,000 this year.” Again, this is an earth goal because money and material things are associated with earth.

“I will learn to play guitar.” This can fall into the air category because it’s about learning a new skill.

“This year, I will be caffeine-free.” I’d group this goal with the water element because caffeine is usually consumed in liquids.

“I will communicate my needs with my significant other in the moment, even if it is an uncomfortable conversation.” I’d also put this with the water element because it deals with emotions and relationships.

“I will open an Etsy shop and sell my hand-made pottery.” This could be a fire-related goal because it has to do with a passion project.

Once you’ve divided them up, perform spells that heavily use that element—candle spells for fire, crystals and herbs for earth, incense for air, and potions for water—just to name a few.

You can certainly perform other kinds of magic to manifest your resolutions, but you might find that you get better results by incorporating complementary elemental magic into your spells. Try it and see.

New Year’s Resolutions Altar

Create a special altar dedicated to your new year’s resolutions. Include at least one item, image, sigil, or quote to represent each goal you’ve committed to. Spend ten minutes every day, or once a week visualizing yourself as the person you are after you’ve achieved all your new year’s resolutions. Bask in the energy of your best self, living your ideal life.

You can keep this altar up all year, or use a special box to keep these items in. If you don’t have these items in plain view, make sure you set aside time on a regular basis to take the box out and look at your items. You can do this every new moon, or once a season. Discard any items that no longer resonate with you, and add any items you’d like to bring into your life.

Final Words On Achieving Your New Year’s Resolutions

There are plenty of ways to use magic to hope you achieve your goals, habits, and resolutions. Witchcraft is essentially a practice of stepping into your power to become your best self. It’s a beautiful, uplifting, and creative practice.

One thing to keep in mind when working towards goals is to “loosen your grip” on the end result. In my experience, when you get so focused on your goal, you might accidentally push that goal further away with your energy. You don’t want to use “pulling” or “pushing” energy as you’re performing your magic or establishing habits. You want to use “attracting” energy. Energetically, think about gently opening your arms to receive your desires.

Trust that you are drawing your desires and healthy habits closer and closer every single day. Perform your magic, stay flexible, and keep a sense of play as you pursue your goals. Let’s make this year the best one yet, witches!

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Updated on August 20, 2023 by Avery Hart