James Van Der Beek Shares Update on His New Year’s Resolution

James Van Der Beek is taking the start of the year easy.

On Thursday, Jan. 15, the Dawson’s Creek star, 48, spoke about his aspirations for 2026 in an Instagram post after recently opening up about his stage 3 cancer diagnosis.

In the candid clip discussing the natural rhythms of life, Van Der Beek spoke directly to the camera and said that winter isn’t the best time to commit ourselves to New Year’s resolutions, as it’s a period where nature and animals take time out to rest.

“Anybody else out there finding that your New Year’s resolutions are impossible to keep?” he said. “I’m gonna say something, I don’t think it’s your fault. I think it makes total sense.”

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“Why are we celebrating a new year in the dead of winter?” Van Der Beek continued. “Why are we celebrating new beginnings at a time when nature rests?”

“Animals are hibernating, birds fly south for the winter,” he said. “The time to celebrate new beginnings, and a new year, and a new you and a new resolution is spring at the vernal equinox, when the flowers bloom and it gets warmer and the birds return.”

The actor added that marking a new year in the winter goes against nature, while adding that the Gregorian calendar makes “absolutely no sense.”

Attempting to explain his theory further, Van Der Beek argued that March should be seen as the start of the year.

“I’m gonna say screw it,” he said. “I’m gonna take the winter to recover, to rest and I’m gonna make New Year’s resolutions in the spring. Who’s with me?”

Van Der Beek expanded on his thoughts on how to behave in the winter in the caption of his video.

“In the winter, the days are shorter and the nights are longer,” he wrote. “But instead of being reminded how perfect this season is for cocooning, eating stew, snuggling and sleeping… why are we being told this is the time to buy a gym membership?”

The post garnered almost 80,000 likes and many commenters agreed with his mindset. Fans also commented on his appearance, with one person writing, “Looking good,” and another saying, “Looking healthy and strong brother.”

The focus on his looks comes after his gaunt appearance in a pre-recorded video at September’s Dawson’s Creek reunion. The father of six responded to concerns during an appearance on the Today show.

“I’d lost so much weight because of the stomach virus,” Van Der Beek explained on the Dec. 19 episode. “No, it was not cancer-related. Although with cancer everything’s like, ‘Why don’t we super-size that stomach virus?’ ”

Van Der Beek revealed to PEOPLE in November 2024 that he had been diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer after privately undergoing treatment following a 2023 diagnosis.

“The trickiest thing is there are so many unknowns with cancer,” he said. “You think, ‘How do I fix this? Is this healing me? Is this hurting me? Is this working? Is it coming back?’ As someone who likes answers, not knowing is one of the hardest things.”

“I’m very cautiously optimistic. I’m in a place of healing, my energy levels are great,” he added. “I have a lot to live for.”