Limitless Dragon Newsletter #19
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Greetings beautiful soul,
Welcome to my newsletter... a weekly exploration of what's alive for me, what topics I am working through, with tools to navigate the times we are in and overall some food for thought.
Why Your New Year's Resolutions Fail (And What to Do Instead)
It's almost that time of year again.
The time when we decide we'll become better versions of ourselves. We'll eliminate bad habits, overhaul our routines, and commit to the perfect workout plan. You know the drill.
And then, somewhere around mid-February, it all falls apart.
There are countless studies and books on why this happens (James Clear's Atomic Habits is excellent if you want to dive deep). But the most transformative shift I've made is this:
Stop making resolutions. Start running experiments.
This framework (which I learned from the Art of Accomplishment and adapted) has been the single most effective approach to lasting change in my life.
Here's what usually happens with habit goals:
For example you decide to drink 2 liters of water daily. You do it for a couple of days. You forget. You restart. You don't notice any results. Eventually, it fades away almost unconsciously.
The core issue? You're operating on an assumption that this habit will be good for you, but you have no personal evidence. You haven't actually lived the experience or paid attention to the outcomes.
You're following someone else's prescription without testing whether it actually works for you.
The Experiment Mindset: Five Critical Shifts
Approaching habits as experiments changes everything because it:
1. Forces clarity. What exactly are you doing? Why? What do you expect to happen?
2. Creates a container. You're committing to a set timeframe, not "forever." This removes the all-or-nothing pressure.
3. Makes tracking inevitable. If it's an experiment, you need data. You can't just drift through it unconsciously.
4. Gives you agency. You get to decide, based on your experience, whether this aligns with where you want to go.
5. Builds in permission to pivot. Experiments can "fail" and still be successful—because you learned something.
Example of what This Looks Like in Practice:
Goal: Drink 2 liters of water per day
Duration: 2 weeks
What I'm tracking: Energy levels, skin quality, sleep quality
Observation: I drink about a liter during the day, then remember the second liter right before bed. I'm hydrated but waking up at 3 AM to use the restroom.
Outcome: Hydrated, yes. But sleep is disrupted.
Assess: Is this working? Partially. What needs to change to be 100% successful?
Pivot: Drink 80% of water intake before 3 PM.
Rinse and repeat.
The beauty? There's no failure here. Just data. Just curiosity. Just adjustment.
Your Experiment Framework
Here's how:
1. Choose one habit you want to test. Just one (or multiple for different areas of your life)
2. Set a timeframe. I recommend 2 - 4 weeks—long enough to notice patterns, short enough to stay engaged.
3. Get specific about what you're tracking. Not just "did I do it?" but "what changed?" Track energy, mood, sleep, productivity—whatever matters for this habit and you.
4. Assess and iterate. After your timeframe, ask: What worked? What didn't? What surprised me? What do I want to adjust?
Remember: there are countless ways to get hydrated. Your job isn't to follow the "right" way—it's to find your way.
The experiment mindset takes the pressure off and puts curiosity back in. You're not failing when you adjust. You're learning.
And learning, it turns out, is how we actually change.
What's one habit you'd like to experiment with in 2026? Hit reply—I'd love to know what you're testing.
Happy New Year and happy experimenting!
With love,
Lucie
Join me for an in-person workshop on the 11/1 in Hāwea Flat. Think cacao, meditation, journalilng and a gentle ushering into the new year. Book here
1:1 booking available (book a discovery call here)
private cacao ceremonies for you and your beloved
7 day immersion in beautiful Portuguese mountains (July 2026) - link here
Instagram: @luciedomicone_lifecoach
