Meet the new year with compassion: Do what feels right for you

As we enter 2026, it has me reflecting on all the different ways we set intentions, goals and resolutions for the new year. So many embrace it as a fresh start- with hope, determination and excitement. A fresh start is sometimes needed. It helps to release the worries, disappointments and challenges of a previous year. And this okay. 

Yet, self-compassion creates space for us to learn from (rather than fear or push away) the mistakes, failures, let downs and losses. We can look at 2025’s difficulties and acknowledge ‘that was hard and I made it through’. This inner kindness creates a softening and allows us to then check-in with what we need for 2026. This is okay too.

Some of us will create vision boards and bingo cards (love this one!) that will serve as motivation for the things we want more of (or less of) this year. Or we may reflect on all the ways we grew in 2025- so important to celebrate small, medium and big wins! We may use this reflection to guide what we’d like to do, achieve and become in 2026. This is okay as well.

Sometimes we’re so burnt out and exhausted from the holidays and cumulative hardships that we try to quietly coast into the new year. Meeting ourselves with gentle energy is so important in helping us rest, restore and recover. This is more than okay! 

It’s important to remember that goals, intentions and change can happen any point of the year, it does not need to happen now.

For me, I like to choose a word that represents what I need more of in the year- an intention of sorts. For 2025, it was ‘gentle’ and although life was tricky and trying at times, I worked on meeting it with an inner softness. This year, my word is ‘flow’. I have some anticipated changes and transitions and rather than try to resist or control, I want to both follow and guide the flow as needed with both softness and strength (like water).

Flow also reminds me of the research of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi[i]- a state of heightened focus and joy; where our skills match the challenge.

Whatever you choose, I hope you can meet the year with inner kindness, care and compassion.

If you’d like help moving into the year with clarity and intention, connect with me or the mental health professional of your choice.

This blog is for informational purposes only. It does not represent therapeutic advice. Follow me on Instagram @compassionate_counsellor for more.

 

[i] Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.