New Year. Soft Start.
By: Kenyah Mickens-Smith, LMFT, LCAS
As the hustle and bustle of the holiday season comes to an end, many of us find ourselves in an interesting space during the last week of December. The high of creating Christmas magic has faded away as we make our way back home after visiting with loved ones. The mundane routines of everyday life now slowly start to creep back in.
In this holding space, all work tasks are completed, yet there is a lingering feeling that there is something to be done. Something productive. Something to prepare for a successful 2026. The well decorated Christmas tree that once created feelings of excitement, now carries a sense of urgency to be put away as the holiday has passed. Holiday cheer and festive decorations are now replaced by vision boards and ideas about new year resolutions to pour ourselves into.
In my own reflection, I became curious about this in-between space. As the year ends, some of us have more time on our hands, but can’t escape the thought that there is so much to be done to make next year “the best one yet”.
And then it dawned on me. Maybe the goal is not to do more. Perhaps, it is to rest. To reset. To reflect on the last year of life. To slow down before planning any future goals.
With increasing access to the lives of others through social media, we often receive messaging that we need to dream bigger, accomplish more, and achieve things, that if we really pause to consider, do not align with what we truly desire. Instead of pushing harder, this is a good time to ask ourselves: Whose goals am I working toward in 2026? Mine or someone else’s?
What might it be like to lean into a pace that is grounded and unhurried as the year comes to an end? Rather than succumbing to chronic busy-ness, I invite us all to welcome 2026 gently. If you are already feeling the pressure to achieve, check out the tips below to help you ease into the New Year.
1. Reflect on your successes. You put in a lot of effort in 2025 and owe it to yourself to celebrate what went well for you.
2. Practice gratitude. Before striving for more, it may be helpful to reflect on the relationships, experiences, people, and overall things about yourself/ your life that you’re currently grateful for.
3. Reframe “goals” to “intentions”. To be clear, setting goals for yourself is helpful and encouraged. However, reframing a thought or an idea can make a difference in how we feel. If you find yourself experiencing pressure to achieve goals you’ve set for yourself, setting intentions offers a more gentle approach, focusing more on actions in the present rather than the future outcome.
4. Get clear on your values to create clarity. A values clarification exercise is a great way to identify what truly means the most to you in this life. After identifying your top 5-6 values, you can then plan the new year in alignment versus urgency.
Cheers to a connected, intentional, and soft start to the New year!
