As December winds down and the familiar chorus of “New Year, New Me” begins to echo across social media feeds, regenerative farmer Mollie Engelhart finds herself swimming against the cultural current. The author of “Debunked by Nature” has made a decisive break from the annual ritual of January resolutions, and her reasoning stems from years of watching nature’s own rhythms unfold on her ranch.
“I have always been an observer of nature. It is part of my work as a farmer, but it is also part of how I understand the world,” explains Engelhart, who transformed from a vegan chef running restaurants in Los Angeles to a hands-in-the-dirt farmer at Sovereignty Ranch.
Her journey away from New Year’s resolutions reflects a broader philosophical shift that many are embracing—one that questions whether our culturally imposed calendar markers align with natural cycles of growth and renewal. While millions prepare to make ambitious January promises they’ll likely abandon by February, Engelhart suggests there’s wisdom in following nature’s timeline instead.
The traditional New Year’s resolution model operates on the assumption that January 1st represents the optimal moment for transformation. Yet anyone who has spent time observing natural cycles knows that winter, in most climates, is a time of rest, reflection, and conservation of energy—not the explosive growth period that resolution culture demands.
For farmers like Engelhart, this disconnect between cultural expectations and natural reality becomes glaringly obvious. Seeds don’t sprout because a calendar page turns; soil doesn’t become fertile because we’ve decided it’s time for change. Growth happens when conditions are right, when preparation meets opportunity, and when the environment supports sustainable development.
This perspective challenges the entire premise of resolution culture, which often sets people up for failure by imposing artificial deadlines on deeply personal transformation processes. The statistics bear this out—research consistently shows that the vast majority of New Year’s resolutions are abandoned within weeks, leaving people feeling defeated rather than empowered.
Engelhart’s approach to personal growth mirrors her farming philosophy: work with natural rhythms rather than against them, prepare the ground carefully, and trust the process rather than forcing outcomes. This methodology has served her well through her dramatic career transformation and continues to inform her work in food sovereignty, soil regeneration, and education about self-sufficiency.
The farmer’s rejection of New Year’s resolutions doesn’t mean abandoning goals or growth—quite the opposite. It means recognizing that sustainable change requires patience, proper timing, and alignment with natural cycles rather than arbitrary calendar dates. Just as she wouldn’t plant tomatoes in January regardless of her enthusiasm for a summer harvest, she no longer forces personal development into culturally prescribed timeframes.
This philosophy resonates particularly strongly as people increasingly seek authenticity and sustainability in all aspects of their lives. The same principles that create thriving ecosystems—diversity, patience, working with rather than against natural systems—can be applied to personal development with far greater success than the shock-and-awe approach of traditional resolutions.
As we approach another January 1st, Engelhart’s perspective offers a refreshing alternative to resolution fatigue. Instead of making dramatic promises tied to calendar dates, consider following nature’s example: use winter for rest and planning, spring for planting new ideas, summer for nurturing growth, and fall for harvesting the results of patient cultivation.
In a world increasingly disconnected from natural rhythms, perhaps the most revolutionary act isn’t making a New Year’s resolution—it’s learning to dance with the seasons instead of fighting them. For those ready to abandon the annual cycle of resolution and disappointment, nature offers a more sustainable path forward, one that honors both human potential and the wisdom of working in harmony with the world around us.
