Welcoming 2026

A New Year, An Inner Turning: Setting Intentions from Within

As a new year unfolds, there’s often a collective pressure to fix, improve, or be better. Resolutions tend to arrive with rigidity and expectation, asking us to leap forward before we’ve taken time to listen inward. This year, what if we chose a softer, more sustainable beginning?

Instead of resolutions, consider setting intentions.

Intentions invite us to turn inward ... to notice how we feel, what we need, and what is quietly asking for our attention. They are not demands placed upon the future self, but gentle guideposts rooted in presence, self-compassion and truth. An intention begins with awareness, not achievement.

Nature offers us a beautiful reminder at this time of year. Winter does not rush toward bloom. It rests. It restores. It gathers energy beneath the surface. In the same way, this season invites us to slow down and reflect before moving forward. To ask not What should I do this year?  but rather, How do I want to be?

Setting an intention might sound like:

• “I intend to honor my body’s need for rest.”

• “I intend to cultivate more moments of presence.”

• “I intend to meet myself with kindness, especially in moments of discomfort.”

• “I intend to listen more deeply to my inner wisdom.”

  
  

From a holistic perspective, our thoughts, emotions and beliefs directly influence our nervous system, hormones and overall health. When intentions are aligned with what truly supports us—emotionally, mentally, and physically—they become powerful anchors for well-being. Rather than pushing against ourselves, we begin working with our inner rhythms.

As you step into this new year, give yourself permission to begin gently. Create space for reflection. Sit with your breath. Take a walk in nature. Journal what feels alive, tender or ready to be nurtured. Let your intention arise organically, from within, rather than from external expectations.

This year doesn’t need a list of resolutions to be meaningful. It simply asks for your presence.

May this new year be less about becoming someone new, and more about returning—again and again—to yourself.

A Gentle Guided Reflection

Find a quiet space where you can pause for a few minutes. You may wish to place one hand on your heart and one on your belly.

Take three slow, steady breaths—in through the nose, out through the mouth. With each exhale, allow your body to soften just a little more.

Now, gently ask yourself:

• What is asking for my care right now?

• What feels heavy, tired, or ready to be released?

• What feels steady, hopeful, or quietly alive within me?

  
  

There is no need to force an answer. Simply notice what arises.

Journaling Prompts for the New Year

Allow your responses to flow without judgment or editing.

1. As I stand at the beginning of this year, I notice that I am feeling…

2. What my body is asking for more of this year is…

3. What I am ready to soften, release, or loosen my grip on is…

4. When I imagine myself living with greater ease and alignment, I see…

5. A word, phrase, or intention I would like to carry with me into this year is…

   
   

You may return to these prompts throughout the year, allowing your intention to evolve as you do.