Podcast Summary: anything goes with emma chamberlain — "do new years resolutions work?" (December 28, 2025)
Episode Overview
In this reflective solo episode, Emma Chamberlain examines the concept of New Year's resolutions—how her views have shifted over the years, what worked and what didn’t in her own experience, and what makes a resolution effective (or completely useless). Emma candidly reviews her lists from 2023, 2024, and 2025, offering her trademark blend of candor, introspection, and wit as she deconstructs each goal, shares her personal growth, and gives advice to anyone struggling with the annual pressure to reinvent themselves.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Emma’s Evolution on New Year’s Resolutions
- Changing Attitudes Over Time: As a kid, Emma didn’t care about resolutions; as a rebellious teen, she found them “idiotic” and “nihilistic” (00:09). In her 20s, she warmed up to them, seeing them as “net positive at best” and definitely “harmless.”
- Quote: “If you have something you want to change about your life, change it in the moment… Don’t wait until January 1st.” — Emma (00:16)
- Rationale for Resolutions Now: For Emma, resolutions are about “planting a seed in my brain for the rest of the year” (01:29), more so about intention than absolute achievement.
The Value of Reflection & Intentionality
- Importance as an Adult: Emma finds moments like New Year’s and birthdays helpful for structured reflection, especially as adult responsibilities mount (04:00).
- Comparison: Even her friends who manifest on the full moon use it as an “invitation to reflect and manifest” (05:00).
Year-by-Year Breakdown: Emma’s Resolutions
2023: Existential, Big-Picture, and Personal Growth Goals
- Hobbies ("Find the hobbies that excite me and lean into them") (07:55)
- Success eventually, achieved through intuition and dropping self-pressure.
- “There’s no rules when it comes to hobbies… I’ve just let myself enjoy hobbies when I’m in the mood for them.” (11:49)
- Resilience Against the Internet (16:33)
- Still a work in progress. Emma reframed the resolution: it’s valid to be scared, but important not to let that fear control her.
- “I spent so long being so afraid… I still live in fear… but it was so much worse to be scared and then censor myself.” (19:21)
- Use Social Media for Posting, Not Scrolling (21:32)
- Succeeded, shifting to healthy entertainment. “In 2022 I was addicted to TikTok… I don’t do that anymore.” (22:58)
- Self-worth Not Based on Physical Appearance (24:18)
- Ongoing struggle, but maturity helped. Emma credits growing older and seeing broader definitions of beauty.
- “What really matters the most is what kind of person someone is. And that wins every race.” (27:02)
- Be Thoughtful About Money (29:35)
- Achieved after decluttering and embracing mindful shopping. Donation became a ritual that created relief rather than deprivation.
- Prioritize Exciting Projects (32:55)
- Remained a challenge in 2023. Burnout from overcommitment made time for passion projects hard to come by.
- Focus on Present Gratitude Over Future Anxiety (35:16)
- Admits this is tied to deeper anxiety and possibly OCD; gives herself grace for not resolving it quickly.
- Work While Walking (37:18)
- Success. Incorporating treadmill time was “life-changing” for productivity and mood.
- Attachment to Loved Ones (39:07)
- Progress in romantic relationships. Still battles anxiety about loved ones’ wellbeing—a “lifelong battle.”
- “That’s a big one. Don’t know that I’m going to just get over that in a year.” (42:14)
2024: Simpler, More Surface-Level Goals
- Read More Books / Watch More Movies (43:04)
- Did not read more; too mentally exhausted after work for “brain work” like reading.
- Watched more movies socially, though not particularly fulfilling. Movies felt like a “chore,” not a passion.
- “With books… I just need to be fed something. Reading to me is wonderful, but it is work for my brain.” (44:11)
- Only Go on Social Media to Post (48:09)
- Maintained good boundaries; much improved compared to previous years.
- Work at Desk, Not in Bed (49:00)
- Succeeded—feels better physically and mentally, but allows herself exceptions for low-motivation days.
- Manage Time/Productivity for Experimentation (51:47)
- Progress made, especially in 2025. Began to plant seeds for better time management and experimentation.
- Learn New Things (54:46)
- Did not prioritize or carve out time, so did not succeed. Recognized importance of scheduled, intentional effort for such goals.
2025: Quantifiable & Mindset Goals
- Maintain Clear Goals (35:41)
- Succeeded. “Easier to maintain than to find out what your goals are.”
- 10,000 Steps Per Day (36:27)
- Smashed this one: “My average step count for the year is 11,645.” (37:27)
- Walking brought multiple life/sanity benefits—reflected as a quantifiable, achievable goal structure.
- Be Intentional Toward Ultimate Life/Career Goals (40:42)
- Ongoing process, recognizes even setbacks (like breakups) are steps toward greater goals.
- “Making that decision to end that relationship, it doesn’t feel like I took a step in the right direction, but it actually is.” (43:30)
- Consume Less/Buy Mindfully (45:45)
- Reality: “Now that I’m not addicted to shopping, it’s quite easy for me to just buy things mindfully.”
- Read More Books / Learn a Bunch of New Things (48:52)
- Still unfulfilled for same reasons as prior years; acknowledges need for structural change in schedule for these “work-y” ambitions.
Key Insights About Resolutions
- Specificity and Realism: The more concrete and measurable the resolution (e.g., “10,000 steps/day”), the more likely it is to succeed.
- “From analyzing all of these New Year’s resolutions, I’ve realized that the more specific, the better.” (51:42)
- Having a Plan: Success tends to follow when Emma makes an actionable plan, not just a hopeful list.
- “Resolutions that were less productive were ones that were either too broad or they weren’t really thought out.” (52:15)
- Give Yourself Grace: Not all resolutions are achievable in a year—lifelong challenges require ongoing work and understanding.
- Resolutions as Seeds: Even if a goal isn’t completed in the exact year, it can bloom later. “I like to think of it as an intention going into life, moving forward.” (10:29)
- Iterative Process: Many resolutions repeat or evolve over several years; progress may be non-linear.
Memorable Quotes & Moments
- “I can let [hobbies] be intuitive, not forcing myself to participate in hobbies for the sake of having hobbies. Why is that such a tongue twister?” (10:36)
- “There’s no rules when it comes to hobbies. And I think allowing myself that freedom allowed me to participate in hobbies, but it took a while.” (12:44)
- On social media: “In 2022 I was addicted to watching TikToks… Now, if I’m bored, I’ll do a watercolor, I’ll go to a flea market…” (22:41)
- “What really matters the most is what kind of person someone is… Personality wins every race.” (27:02)
- On shopping and decluttering: “The relief of having a manageable amount of items… it felt so good to let go of it that then it was easy to not just fill my home back up with shit again.” (31:29)
- “Reading to me is a wonderful activity. However, it is work for my brain. And at the end of the day I don’t want to work. I want to just rot.” (44:15)
- On resolutions: “The key to New Year’s resolutions is realistic goals, clear understanding of the reasoning for the resolution, and making a plan.” (53:01)
- “2026 is about to be a fucking vibe. Okay, now I have to knock on wood.” (53:54)
Notable Timestamps
- 00:00–07:50: Emma’s history and philosophy of New Year’s resolutions.
- 07:55–42:15: Analysis of 2023 resolutions—hobbies, social media, self-worth, money, relationships, anxiety.
- 43:04–54:46: Breakdown of 2024—reading, movies, social media, productivity, learning.
- 35:29–53:54: Review of 2025—goals, walking, intentionality, consumption, recurring struggles.
- 51:42–53:01: Emma’s advice on what makes an effective resolution.
- 53:54: Goodbye message and announcement: “Anything Goes” moves to one episode/week in 2026.
Overall Tone and Takeaways
Emma’s tone is equal parts raw, witty, and heartwarming. The episode is a mix of accountability and self-compassion, ultimately framing resolutions as helpful intentions rather than rigid contracts. She invites listeners to approach change with realism, specificity, forgiveness, and a healthy dose of not taking themselves too seriously.
Bottom line:
Resolutions can work—if you pick specific, meaningful intentions, make a plan, and allow for the possibility that transformation takes time, not just a new year.