A gentle new year

join me in prioritising a slower start to the year

Happy New Year.

Hopefully, you’re feeling bright this morning, but if you’re reading this from the confounds of your duvet, feeling the effects of a night of celebration, don’t worry, this will be an easy read.

As I mentioned in my last post, I’m not someone who jumps into January head first, full of ambition and drive (any more that is). Instead, I prefer a calmer approach to a new year, one that gently sets small intentions but appreciates that it is after all, winter.

So this January, a time when, like most of us, I find it difficult to find energy, I thought I’d shape my content around a calmer start to a new year - a gentle new year.

Why start things gently?

In the past I’ve fallen into the classic trap of having a surge of post-Christmas energy where I’m all about change, bettering myself, new years resolutions, the lot. But, by the third week into January, I’m clasping to my remaining unspoilt resolution like a life raft. By the fourth? It’s all over, as it turns out, the new me is exhausted, an old me oh-so-ready to fill in.

Over the years, I’ve blamed myself for this; not driven enough, lack of willpower. Or sometimes the astrology, what can’t you blame on mercury in retrograde, am I right? But, the truth is, January is dead set in the middle of winter. And what does nature intend for winter? Rest. Do you see the plants rushing to be their bloomy-ist selves come January 1st? Or the wildlife rushing to build nests? No, they’re still abiding by the seasons, it’s far too cold, and the days are too short.

I’ve always loved a fresh start, but I am also trying to rewrite my mentality for the all-or-nothing. So while I dip my toe into new intentions, ideas, hobbies and so forth, I will not be setting any hard and fast rules throughout the winter. If anything, I mean to start my year gently, as I wish it to continue.

The gentle new year plan

If you too are considering a more gentle beginning to your new year, avoiding the big resolutions and high expectations, welcome, you’re in the right place. All month until the 31st (which feels like a light year away) I’ll be focusing my content around a gentle new year. Sharing on Substack twice weekly and bitesize content over on TikTok & Instagram too.

The content itself will focus on introspection, and rest during winter. Setting gentle intentions, building boundaries and setting up for growth come springtime. This isn’t an expert guide but an offer of community to work towards a calmer, gentler 2025. I do hope you’ll join me.

Setting off

Have that itch for feeling like you’re making moves into the new year? My favourite gentle new year activity is starting with a vision board. As a creative person, I do love nothing more than a purposeful Pinterest session. However, for a good, well rounded-vision board, starting with some words usually helps.

Here are a few prompts I’ve used to shape what I’m looking to add to my vision board:

• What 3 words will describe your 2025?

• How do you want your year to feel? Describe it (I ended up breaking this down by seasons)

• What does peace look like to you in 2025?

Here’s to the year that reassumes its position as the marathon, not the sprint. The one that we take in the small things, savouring every moment. The one that gentle, slow growth is prioritised. The one where we build on ourselves calmly, instead of reinventing. The one where joy takes its place above all.

P.s. I’m trying to prioritise spending my screen time on places like Substack, so if you have a publication, I’m trying to build my reading list, do drop it below in the comments.

Hopefully, you enjoyed this post, if you did I would be eternally grateful if you would share/restack so I can reach more people like you ♥️

Have a lovely day, Allie ☁️