What Do You Gain from Subtraction Goals? 2024 New Year Writing Prompts from Writing Yoga®
Jan 03, 2024As the New Year approaches, we often feel pressure to add more. More tasks, goals, habits, and achievements. But what if, instead of piling on, we focused on subtraction goals? Rather than creating elaborate to-do lists or ambitious resolutions, consider the power of letting go. Subtraction goals invite us to release the things (e.g. habits, beliefs, or patterns) that weigh us down and no longer serve us.
The beauty of this approach is that less can lead to more: more clarity, peace, joy, and freedom. When we create space by subtracting the unnecessary, we make room for what truly matters. Join me in exploring this idea with these intentional writing prompts as we move into 2024.
New Year Writing Prompts: What Can I Subtract?
- Can I subtract an old story that has been defining my identity?
We all carry narratives about who we are. Stories from childhood, past relationships, or failures that no longer fit the person we’ve become. Reflect on the stories you keep telling yourself. Are there any that feel outdated, limiting, or untrue? What would happen if you rewrote or released them? - Can I subtract the need to strive for goals that no longer reflect my values?
As we grow, our values evolve. Are there goals you’re still chasing out of habit or because of societal expectations, even though they no longer resonate with who you are? What goals can you gently set aside to align your actions with your current values? - Can I subtract any judgments, biases, or preconceptions?
Consider how judgment (of others or of yourself) affects your well-being. What assumptions or biases are keeping you stuck? What could shift in your relationships or mindset if you approached each situation with curiosity instead of judgment? - Can I subtract feelings of lack and striving and become comfortable with presence?
We are often conditioned to believe that happiness is just around the corner once we accomplish the next goal or acquire the next thing. What would happen if you let go of striving and embraced where you are right now? How would it feel to live in a state of sufficiency and presence? - Can I subtract the need to be right?
The desire to be right can be a heavy burden, creating tension in relationships and inner agitation. What would it feel like to let go of that need and choose peace over pride? How might subtracting the need to be right open space for more compassion and understanding?
New Year Writing Prompts: Why Subtraction Goals Matter
When we let go of things, whether they are physical clutter, outdated beliefs, or emotional baggage, we experience a kind of freedom that isn’t available through accumulation. Subtraction isn’t about giving up; it’s about giving yourself more. More peace. More clarity. More room for joy and connection.
As you subtract what no longer serves you, you might notice:
- Time opens up for creative pursuits or rest.
- Energy becomes available for the relationships and projects you care about.
- Peace of mind grows as you stop chasing things that don’t align with your values.
- Inner harmony emerges as you release old narratives and self-imposed pressures.
A Year of Subtraction, a Year of Gaining
This year, instead of asking, What more can I do? ask, What can I release?
Subtraction goals offer a chance to reset and realign with the things that truly matter to you.
Try starting small. You might subtract the habit of checking your phone first thing in the morning, the pressure to please everyone, or the need to multitask. Or you might subtract deeper patterns like perfectionism, guilt, or fear of failure.
Letting Go: The Key to Growth
As we let go, we create space for new opportunities, experiences, and relationships to enter our lives. Subtraction isn’t an end. It’s an invitation. An invitation to focus on your dreams, cultivate inner peace, and find ways to make a positive impact, however small, in the world around you.
What will you gain by subtracting something this year?
Are you a school administrator or librarian who wants to test out subtraction goals?
Remember to sit, write & move each day for a calm, creative & more compassionate life. If you want to learn more about Writing Yoga® Method, feel free to check out my course right here. This interactive course will help you jumpstart healthy and creative practices to: 1) Reduce stress 2) Write and 3) feel luminous.
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