37 free ways to upgrade your life, even as January tries to ruin it

One of the month’s few bright spots: free self-improvement resources everywhere

Photo of cute dog undeterred by January's slog: iStock.

As months go, there’s not much to recommend January, the coldest, brokest, second darkest and most depressing month of all (ask science!) 

On the positive side: January is the best month for budget-friendly self-improvement, owing to an abundance of free guides and toolkits appealing to resolution makers. You can find a free framework to achieve virtually any goal, from the standards (getting stronger, eating better, saving more money) to more colorful pursuits: telling better jokes, painting or writing "whump" fan fiction, among others.

If you're skeptical about resolutions altogether, that's fair. Here’s how not to succumb to their famously high failure rates. But even if you do, how bad could a month of pilates and journaling be?

Behavior Change

1. Get 30 days of better habits from James Clear

2. Design resolutions that last with Charles Duhigg

3. Try 12 steps to setting goals with Brian Tracy

4. Map out your best year with Mel Robbins
   

Exercise 

5. Do free YouTube yoga every day in January with Yoga by Adrienne

6. Get 30 days of 30-minute yoga with Charlie Follows Yoga

7. Start strength training with NPR

8. Track your strength-training with Nerd Fitness

9. Move for 26 minutes a day with Gretchen Rubin

10. Take 14 free online Pilates classes January 1 to 7 with Ali Rustige

11. Do a free eight-week total body transformation with 1Up Fitness
    

Nutrition

12. Try 31 days of veganism with Veganuary

13. Try a science-backed approach to Dry January with Reframe

14. Eat more nutritously for 90 days with Nutrivore

15. Track your food and macronutrients free with Cronometer

16. Track calories in community in the Lose It subreddit
    

Mind-Body

17. Meditate like a monk for 20 days with Jay Shetty

18. Build your brain strength with NYT Well

19. Get daily sleep tips from Lindsay Scola

20. Start a 28-day healthy habits reset with Luanna Flagg
    

Money 

21. Learn to follow a budget with Suze Orman

22. Plan any aspect of your finances with Dave Ramsay

23. Learn to get rich with Ramit Sethi

24. Buy only what you need with Melissa Corriveau

25. Get out of credit card debt with NPR
    

Productivity

26. Find out where your time goes with Laura Vanderkam

27. Declutter your home in 31 days with Tidy Dad

28. Give your pantry a 2026 refresh with Good Housekeeping
    

Creativity + Hobbies

29. Write a joke every day for 30 days with Gold Comedy

30. Journal every day in January with Gwen Schroeder

31. Read one book a week in 2026 with the 52 Book Club

32. Attend a free group writing session with writing coach Paulette Perhach

33. Find out if your book idea is viable with Ruthie Ackerman

34. Paint a watercolor every day for 31 days with Jessie Kanelos Weiner

35. Get 31 days of creative prompts from 64 Million Artists 

36. Find out what “whump” is and try it every day with Whumpuary 2026

37. Start gardening in January with this monthly checklist
    

Other interesting things I found 

• Join a silent book club

• Try a digital detox with Month Offline (Jan. is sold out so you have to start in March)

• Learn to code for free before joining a bootcamp

• Find fan fiction writing prompts all year long

• Ten January challenges backed by science

• 65 resolutions you’ll actually keep

  
  

Oh wow here's a really good one

I'm doing my own part to make January less awful by offering 10 free 45-minute executive coaching sessions to people I haven’t worked with before. Read more about me and book time here.  

Faye Penn is an executive coach, communication advisor and strategic partner to media, impact and creative leaders.