The shift from one year to the next can feel so abrupt. We're wrapping up, reflecting on what was, and then suddenly - POW! We're supposed to have a clear path forward for the entire year ahead.

We’re meant to have new goals, fresh starts, big plans. The message seems to be: transform yourself, be better, do more, faster.

I find it exhausting just thinking about it. For me, it does the opposite of motivating me. Instead, I want to hide or rebel (depending on my mood) and do none of it.

What If We Started Differently?

Over the years - both in my own life and with my clients - I've found that the most meaningful years don't actually start with grand resolutions or dramatic overhauls.

They start with exhaling. They start with gently easing into the new year.

This means giving yourself some space to let the previous year settle and to notice what's asking for your attention. This allows you to get grounded before you start moving forward.

The end of the year is usually so busy and marks such a distinct end to a cycle.

What if, instead of immediately filling that space with new demands, we honored the transition?

Finding Spacious Places

One of my favorite ways to create this kind of space is to find a physical place that supports contemplation and reflection.

There are so many options to feel spacious: a park, a tree-lined street, a quiet room in your home, a library, a garden (yours or a public one), or even a favorite coffee shop early in the morning.

Whatever you choose, the invitation is the same: Allow yourself a little time here.

Maybe you arrive with a question, or with an intention, or maybe with nothing at all - just curiosity about what you'll notice.

Take some breaths. Walk slowly. Sit quietly. See what emerges.

Instead of Goals, A Power Word

I know there's a lot of pressure right now to set goals, create vision boards, map out your entire year.

And if that feels energizing to you, great! Do it and enjoy.

But if it feels overwhelming or forced, here's something simpler: Choose a Power Word for 2026.

This is one of my favorite practices because it allows you to learn from the past year and use that wisdom to guide you forward - without needing to have everything figured out.

Here's how it works:

Think back on 2025. What's one thing that, if you had more of it, would have made all the difference for you?

For me in 2024, things felt more complicated than they needed to be - with routines, possessions, thoughts that didn’t serve. I knew that this took away from my Joy as well as Peace. What I needed was to Simplify, and that became my Power Word for 2025. Throughout the year, I checked in and allowed it to genuinely guide my choices. I can say I did A LOT of simplifying in 2025!

This is an exercise I do at the beginning of each year with clients. They appreciate being able to reflect on they past year and see how that learning could support them moving forward.

I’m just getting started with clients this year so don’t have too many examples for you yet. But last year, some favorites were: Balance. Confidence. Self-Compassion. Abundance. Connection. Openness. Curiosity. Joy. Rest.

What about you - what might your Power Word be for 2026?

Who Do You Want To Be This Year?

Another option (or addition) to coming up with a Power Word is using one of my favorite questions. By asking yourself this, you have another way to guide yourself through the year - and it doesn't require goals at all.

Imagine it's December 2026. You're looking back on the year. What are some values, adjectives, or characteristics you'd like to use to describe how you showed up during the year?

This is not about what you accomplished or achieved. It's about how you moved through it.

Maybe you want to say: "I was intentional this year. I listened to myself. I was consistent with what mattered most to me."

Or maybe: "I was brave. I tried new things. I gave myself permission to change my mind."

Or: "I was present. I was kind to myself. I honored my energy."

These aren't goals to achieve. They're guideposts for how you want to be - no matter what life throws at you.

Because here's the truth: We can't control everything that happens. Life is very good at surprising us.

But we can be intentional about how we show up through it all.

A Check-In Invitation

If you choose a Power Word or identify how you want to show up this year, I invite you to check in with yourself periodically - maybe monthly or quarterly. Put it on the calendar so you remember.

You can ask questions like: How am I doing? Do my words still feel relevant, or has something shifted? What do I need to adjust?

And remember this isn't about perfection. It's about staying connected to yourself as the year unfolds.

What's Coming

Throughout January, I'll be sharing more about taking aligned action in 2026 - the kind that honors who you are and what you actually want, not what you think you "should" do.

And later this month, I'll be opening enrollment for Aligned Action Laser Coaching - a new way I'm offering support for people who want to move forward intentionally throughout the year. I'll share more details soon.

For now, I hope you'll give yourself permission to start gently.

I invite you to pause before you plan.

I invite you to listen before you leap.

I invite you to be grounded before you move forward.

That's more than enough for the first week of January.

Enjoy the exploration.