We are approaching the season of the "Fresh Start." The magazines and marketing emails will soon be telling you to overhaul your diet, your wardrobe, and your bank account.

The pressure to set new New Year’s resolutions can be immense.

But here is the trouble with resolutions: they are often rooted in the idea that you need fixing.

Resolutions tend to be binary pass/fail tests. “I will save exactly this much.” “I will not buy takeaway coffee.” When we slip up (which we will, because we are human), we feel like we’ve failed, and we abandon the plan entirely.

This year, we invite you to try reflection instead.

Reflection is different. It doesn’t ask, “How can I change?” It asks, “What is the truth of where I am?”

Instead of resolving to “spend less,” reflect on what purchases actually brought you joy this year, and which ones were just habits.

Instead of resolving to “get rich,” reflect on the moments you felt most secure and the moments you felt most anxious.

You cannot build a future on a foundation you haven't examined.

Before you rush to write a list of goals for the year ahead, take a quiet moment to look in the rearview mirror. You don't need a "new you" to be financially successful. You just need the current you to be a little more aligned with your values.