Every year, millions start the New Year determined to become their best selves in the next twelve months, bolstering their efforts with shiny New Year’s resolutions. If you’re anything like most resolution-makers (including me!), good intentions only carry us so far, and, by February, those lofty New Year's goals begin looking more and more out of reach. Even though I haven’t yet become fluent in another language (2018’s resolution) or kept a plant alive for more than a month (my 2021 resolution), hope springs eternal that maybe next year will be the year that I make a resolution and stick to it…

In the meantime, I take comfort in the fact that I’m not alone and that there are loads of books written for those among us whose New Year’s ambitions outpace our actual follow-through. Check out these NPL reads on more-relaxed approaches to popular New Year’s resolutions.

Was 2024 supposed to be the year you finally got your personal finances in order? In Get Good with Money, finance guru Tiffany Aliche provides an approachable beginner’s guide on how to achieve financial security and long-term financial goals in ten simple steps. Aimed towards hands-on, real-world application, Get Good with Money’s provides readers with checklists, worksheets, and other resources designed to help them pinpoint what their financial goals are and how to work towards them.

Start Here (pun intended) if 2024 was going to be the year you uncovered your inner Julia Child and learned to cook. The brainchild of Sohla El-Waylly, former Bon Appétit food editor and current New York Times Cooking contributor, this book is part-recipe book/part-instructional guide on a wide variety of cooking techniques. It’s an excellent resource for cooks of all experiences to learn more about the ‘why’ behind their favorite dishes.  

Did you want 2024 to be the year you took your fitness to the next level? Even if you aren’t yet ready to run a marathon, there are still many different forms of exercise you can explore this year. If you’re looking for ways to introduce beginner-friendly movement practices into your workout routines, Yoga for Everyone offers readers exercises designed for a wide variety of bodies and abilities.

You’d planned to incorporate mindfulness into your 2024 wellness routines but have been too busy to commit real time to it. No worries– we’ve got you covered. The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness helps readers introduce mindfulness into their lives through ten-minute daily exercises, perfect for busy adults on the go. 

In 2024, you were finally going to bring order to your home, only to find that it isn’t quite as easy as Marie Kondo makes it look. Thankfully, you’re not alone! Books like Organizing for the Rest of Us provide bite-size, easy-to-apply tips that help you maintain your preferred level of organization year-round.