Everyone says "this will be my year" in January—here are 9 signs it actually will be this time

Every January used to feel the same for me. I'd wake up on New Year's Day with that familiar mix of hope and determination, declaring to anyone who'd listen that this would finally be "my year." By February, I'd be back to my old patterns, wondering why nothing had changed.

Then came the year I turned 37. Something was different that January. Not the resolutions I made or the goals I set, but the energy I carried into the year. Looking back now, I can see the signs that were already there, telling me that particular year would actually be transformative. And it was. That was the year I left my six-figure corporate job to pursue writing.

Since then, I've noticed these same patterns in friends who genuinely transform their lives versus those who stay stuck in the January enthusiasm cycle. Want to know if this really will be your year? Here are the signs that suggest you're not just talking, but ready to walk the walk.

1. You're done waiting for the "perfect moment"

Remember when you used to think you needed everything lined up perfectly before making a move? If you're catching yourself thinking "good enough" instead of "perfect timing," that's huge.

I spent years telling myself I'd leave finance when I had six months of expenses saved. Then it became a year. Then two years. You know what finally made me pull the trigger? Realizing that the perfect moment was a myth I was using to avoid taking action.

When you stop waiting for all the stars to align and start working with what you have right now, that's when real change happens. Are you feeling that shift? That impatience with your own excuses? That's not restlessness. That's readiness.

2. Your body is already moving toward change

This might sound weird, but hear me out. Before any big life change, your body often knows before your mind does. You might find yourself naturally waking up earlier, craving different foods, or feeling physically uncomfortable in situations that used to feel normal.

The year before I made my career switch, I started getting tension headaches every Sunday night. My body was literally rejecting the idea of another week at my desk. If you're noticing physical shifts, unexplained energy bursts, or even feeling unusually restless in your usual spaces, pay attention. Your body might be preparing for something your conscious mind hasn't fully acknowledged yet.

3. You've stopped asking everyone for permission

How many people's opinions did you seek before making your last big decision? If that number is dropping, you're onto something.

There's a powerful shift that happens when you stop polling everyone about your choices. You still value input, sure, but you're not looking for someone to give you the green light anymore. You're informing people of your decisions rather than seeking approval for them.

I knew something had shifted when I told my best friend about my plan to leave finance, and when she expressed concerns, I thanked her for caring but didn't waver. Not because I was being stubborn, but because I finally trusted my own judgment more than I feared other people's doubts.

4. Small actions are happening without announcement

Social media has trained us to announce everything. Starting a new workout routine? Post about it. Eating healthier? Document every salad. But when you're really ready for change, you often go quiet.

You're too busy doing to talk about doing. Maybe you've already started that side project but haven't told anyone yet. Perhaps you've been getting up at 5 AM for weeks without posting a single sunrise photo.

As psychologist Carl Jung noted, "You are what you do, not what you say you'll do." When your actions start speaking louder than your announcements, transformation is already underway.

5. Failure doesn't feel like the end anymore

Here's something I've noticed: the years that actually become "our year" are often preceded by a fundamental shift in how we view failure. Instead of seeing setbacks as proof we should quit, we start seeing them as data.

Last week didn't go as planned? Interesting information. That approach didn't work? Good to know, let's try another angle. When failure stops feeling like a verdict on your worth and starts feeling like valuable feedback, you've crossed an important threshold.

Think about your recent setbacks. Are you bouncing back faster? Learning quicker? Moving forward despite imperfection? That resilience isn't just helpful, it's essential for real change.

6. You're attracted to different people and conversations

Who have you been drawn to lately? If you're finding yourself gravitating toward people who challenge you rather than those who commiserate with you, that's significant.

Maybe you're less interested in happy hour complaints about work and more curious about that colleague who started their own business. Perhaps you're choosing podcasts about growth over true crime. These shifts in what captivates you reveal where you're headed.

Energy follows attention. When your attention shifts toward growth, possibility, and action, your energy (and eventually your life) follows suit.

7. The fear is there, but it's not driving

Fear doesn't disappear when you're ready for change. If anything, it might get louder. The difference is that fear is now a passenger, not the driver.

I was terrified to leave my stable job. Absolutely terrified. But somewhere along the way, my desire for something different became stronger than my fear of leaving security behind. The fear was still there, chattering away in the backseat, but it wasn't steering anymore.

If you're feeling scared but moving forward anyway, that's not recklessness. That's courage. And courage, not the absence of fear, is what creates extraordinary years.

8. You've already started saying no

Without even realizing it, you might have already started clearing space for what's coming. Declining invitations that drain you. Stepping back from commitments that no longer align. Setting boundaries that would have felt impossible last year.

Writer Annie Dillard wisely observed, "How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives." When you start protecting your days more carefully, you're preparing for a different kind of life.

9. There's a quiet knowing underneath the noise

This is the hardest one to describe but perhaps the most important. Beneath all the planning, hoping, and even doubting, there's a quiet certainty that something is different this time.

It's not loud or boastful. It doesn't need to convince anyone, including you. It's just there, steady and sure, like a heartbeat. You might not even fully trust it yet, but you feel it.

That knowing isn't wishful thinking. It's intuition recognizing that all the pieces are finally in place.

Final thoughts

Reading through these signs, how many resonated with you? If it's more than half, I've got news for you: this might actually be your year.

But here's what I've learned since that transformative January when I was 37. "Your year" doesn't mean everything will be easy or perfect. It means you're finally ready to show up differently, to choose growth over comfort, to trust yourself over convention.

The beautiful thing about these signs is that they're not predictions, they're indicators that change is already in motion. You're not waiting for your year to begin. It already has.

So maybe stop saying "this will be my year" and start recognizing that it already is.