A Gentle Reset for the New Year
The new year has a way of arriving with a lot of noise.
New planners. New habits. New expectations. A quiet pressure to suddenly have clarity, motivation, and a five-step plan for becoming your best self… immediately.
But I don’t think a reset has to mean an overhaul.
For me, a reset looks more like a pause. A moment to assess, to notice where I am, and to let the year unfold before trying to control shape it. Especially after the holidays, when life feels both full and a little frayed, I’ve learned that forcing momentum too quickly usually leaves me more disconnected from my creativity and intuition, not more productive.
Looking back on the year before, there are always pieces I’m proud of. Work that felt aligned. Projects that stretched me. And then there are the ideas that never quite made it off the page. Seasons that felt rushed. Moments I wish I had slowed down for.
Instead of judging those things, I try to just notice them and take stock.
What kinds of work energized me?
What consistently drained me?
Where did I feel most like myself?
During which seasons did I feel grounded, vs ones where I felt frazzled?
This kind of reflection feels rooted. It helps me let go of comparison of other businesses, other timelines, other versions of success that don’t really belong to me anyway. Comparison has a way of pulling us out of our own rhythm, and January seems to amplify it.
Rather than setting a long list of goals, I prefer choosing several intentions for the year, whether they be creative or for my business overall.
Not things to achieve, but ways I want to show up.
Intentions give direction without pressure. They leave room for growth, rest, and unexpected shifts. They give my goals and ambitions direction, and remind me to take joy in the process and not just in moving from one accomplished goal to the next.
From there, I focus on small, tangible practices. Nothing dramatic, just simple implementations that help my days feel fulfilling, interesting and like they have direction.
Clearing my workspace so it feels inviting again.
Starting a new sketchbook, without expectations for what it will become.
Pulling together color palettes, moodboards or vision boards that feel inspiring and purposeful.
These quiet resets aren’t about doing more. They’re about making space and allowing your mind to picture what you want your year to feel like, not just how you want it to look.
If the start of the year feels heavy, or uncertain, or slower than you expected, you’re not behind. January doesn’t require urgency or clarity. It’s allowed to be gentle. It’s allowed to be quiet.
You don’t need to reinvent yourself to begin again.
You have permission to start softly.
You have permission to move at your own pace.
You have permission to let this year meet you where you are.
Ways to Enter the Year Softly
If you’re craving a gentler beginning, here are a few ideas to try:
Choose intentions before setting goals. Focus on how you want to feel or how you want to create, not just what you need to accomplish.
Clear a space. A desk, a drawer, a corner of your home—just enough to feel lighter and like you have room to breathe.
Limit comparison triggers. Unfollow or mute accounts that make you feel rushed or behind.
Create without an outcome. Sketch, paint, write, or make something that doesn’t need to go anywhere.
Play into the season. Let life be a little slower & cozier. Gather the fluffy blankets. Keep some twinkle lights up. Keep winter whimsical.
Build in more white space. Leave room in your schedule instead of filling it immediately if you can.
Start a low-pressure ritual. Morning coffee, a short walk, five minutes with a sketchbook.
Resist the urge to optimize everything. You don’t need a perfect system to begin!
Reflect before planning. Look back before you look ahead, this can limit arbitrary goal setting, or creating habits because you feel like you should.
Let January be a January. Momentum can come with time. Energy will build. Let this be a time of transition.
Entering the year softly doesn’t mean you lack ambition. It means you’re paying attention to your energy, your creativity, and the season you’re in.
And that’s a really good place to start.