A New Year Reflection: Stepping Into 2026 with Intention

Ever since I was young, I’ve appreciated taking a pause at the end of the year to consider where I’ve been, where I am now, and where I’m going. I’m not interested in resolutions. Instead, I’m interested in reflecting on what’s true for me, aligning with that truth, and ultimately embodying it as I move forward.

Over the years, I’ve developed a New Year Reflection Exercise to support this process. The worksheet I’ve created serves as both a reflection and a gentle planning tool. It’s designed to help you look back with honesty and compassion, and to move forward with greater clarity, steadiness, and buoyancy.

This reflection unfolds in three phases:

• Reflecting — taking time to consider where you’ve been and what this past year has held
  
  
• Clarifying — tuning in to what’s real, alive, and meaningful for you now
  
  
• Envisioning — sensing into who you are becoming and imagining what you want to cultivate in the year ahead
  
  

How to Use This Worksheet

This is a contemplative practice, not a checklist. I encourage you to move through it slowly and intentionally.

• Set aside quiet time over several days to work with the questions
  
  
• You don’t need to answer every question—follow what resonates most
  
  
• Let your body, emotions, and intuition guide what you linger with
  
  
• Return to the reflection as the year unfolds and your perspective evolves
  
  

You can download the full New Year Reflection Worksheet here and begin whenever it feels right for you.

Closing Reflection

This practice is about honoring a threshold—acknowledging what has been, and mindfully preparing for what is to come. Rather than rushing ahead, it invites you to begin the year rooted in awareness, clarity, and intention.

In this way, you start the year with light—and consciously carry forward what matters most to you.

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