A gentler way to begin the year
We don’t always need a big goal or a clear plan – sometimes we just need a quiet intention and the courage to listen inward.
When we think about a new year, we’re often encouraged to set big goals.
Run a marathon.
Learn a new skill.
Achieve more.
And while goals can be helpful, they’re not the only (or even the most meaningful) way to move forward.
Sometimes, what we need most isn’t a specific achievement at all. Sometimes, we need an intention – A promise to ourselves.
The Power of a Quiet Commitment
An intention doesn’t have to be something you can measure or tick off.
It might be:
- learning to say no when you’ve spent years saying yes
- prioritising your own needs instead of always putting everyone else first
- saying yes to invitations when you’d usually retreat
- practising gratitude – finding one small thing each day
- choosing rest without guilt
These quiet commitments might not look impressive from the outside, but over time, they can lead to the most powerful changes of all.
Small shifts. Repeated consistently.
That’s where real transformation happens.
A Personal Reflection
A few years ago, I made a promise to myself.
It wasn’t tied to a specific goal or outcome.
It wasn’t about productivity or success.
I simply decided that I would move my life towards joy and ease.
Whenever I was faced with a decision (big or small) I asked myself:
Does this feel joyful? Does this feel easy?
If the answer was no to both, I had to be brave enough to let it go.
That promise led me to make some very big, uncomfortable decisions.
They weren’t easy, and they weren’t without grief, fear or uncertainty. At times they brought up anxiety and self-doubt. But staying true to that intention helped me choose alignment over familiarity, and wellbeing over struggle.
Looking back now, I can see how those decisions slowly reshaped my life, not overnight, but steadily into something that feels more supportive, spacious and deeply fulfilling.
Listening to the Inner Voice
Through reflection, journalling and moments of stillness, I learned to listen more closely to my inner voice – the quiet part of us that knows what feels right, even when it doesn’t feel comfortable.
Call it intuition.
Inner knowing.
A deeper connection to yourself.
Whatever name we give it, this inner guide is always there. We just need time and space to hear it.
For me, these practices have been where I’ve worked through challenges, uncovered what truly matters, and clarified how I want my life to unfold – my values, my purpose, and the way I want to show up.
Intentions for This Year
This year, the words I’m carrying with me are:
Connection, Expansion and Growth.
Connection – to myself, to others, and to the community around me.
Growth – learning, evolving and staying open to possibility.
Expansion – allowing life to feel more spacious and aligned.
You Don’t Need a Perfect Plan
If you’re feeling unsure about what you want this year, that’s okay.
You don’t need a five-year plan.
You don’t need a perfectly defined goal.
You might simply ask:
- How do I want to feel this year?
- What do I want more of?
- What am I ready to let go of?
Sometimes the bravest thing we can do is pause, listen, and take one small step towards what feels right.
An intention doesn’t demand perfection.
It just asks for honesty.
And that is always enough.