my favorite new year practices
I love new year energy, and I truly enjoy taking time to reflect on the year before and imagine the possibilities for the year ahead. Over the years, I’ve moved away from setting traditional resolutions and goals in light of my tendency to spiral into an obsessive planning frenzy that’s more stressful than inspiring. Instead, I’ve found a few practices I love that still allow me to go into the new year with intention but with a softer touch. In this post, I’m sharing three of my favorites!
word of the year
This has been my go-to practice for the past three years, and it has really helped me strike the right balance between starting the year with purpose and giving myself more grace and flexibility. A lot can happen in a year, which is why setting rigid goals almost always ends in disappointment. I like how an intention can help guide my decisions and mindset throughout the year, but it can also adapt and shift as life goes in unexpected directions. It’s an easy reminder that you can come back to again and again. If this sounds like something you would like to try for yourself this year, here are the questions I use to brainstorm words:
How do you want to feel this year?
What did the previous year leave you craving?
What do you want to bring with you into the new year?
How do you want to evolve?
What feels most important to you right now?
Once I have a list of words, I choose the one that feels the most exciting to me and I dive a little deeper:
What does this word mean to you?
How do you want to embody your intention this year?
How will it guide you?
How can you apply this intention to different areas of your life (relationship, career, health, creativity, etc.)?
I would love to hear what word you choose if you decide to give this a go this year! My word for 2025 is spark!
ins & outs
This has been a really popular one lately, and I think it’s just a nice way to think about what you want to invite in and what you what to leave behind. It’s simple and uncomplicated. Plus, you can make it cute like in the examples above from from Julia Rothman and Amanda Rach Lee.
I recently saw this one that Ali LaBelle made specifically for her creative life and I felt inspired to make my own! Below are my creative ins & outs for 2025:
IN
Attention to detail & thoughtful touches
Experimenting with different modes of creative expression
Telling other artists when their art means something to me or brings me joy, starting with the jazz musicians that live upstairs
Filling my inspiration well to the brim by reading oodles of books (frankly, I would settle for 20…) and making frequent visits to the ballet, shows, museums, galleries, etc.
Looking for quiet acts of creativity around the city
Creating prolifically with abandon
Memory-keeping & visual diaries
Spending time in community with other artists
Full sketchbooks
Illustrated books for adults
Book-making
Taking action when inspiration strikes
Embracing my love of minis
Adding Boo to an art piece whenever possible
Play
Texture, texture, texture
Combining graphic design and art
Moody landscapes, always & forever
World-building & storytelling
Seeking out & asking for opportunities to bring my ideas to life
Whimsy
Leaning into the seasons
Trying new mediums
OUT
Getting too caught up in details
Feeling self-conscious about sharing things I make
Letting social media dictate worth and value
Feeling any kind of pressure to turn art into a side hustle
Obsessive planning to the point of inaction
Self doubt
Depending on others for validation
Waiting
Being shy about what I like
Art that feels too perfect
Spending more time consuming than creating
bingo card
This was a new one for me this year, and it was so much fun! It’s such a lighthearted approach to thinking about the year ahead, and it’s also a great group activity. I highly recommend getting together with some friends and making an afternoon of it! Here are the prompts we used to come up with ideas for our bingo boxes:
Something you’ve been wanting to do for a long time and keep putting off
A new skill you want to learn
What places do you want to explore in the city? Restaurants? Museums?
Trips do you want to take this year, big and small
Something you want to make this year (recipes, craft projects, etc.)
A fun gathering or hosting idea you want to do with friends
A milestone or life event you’re looking forward to this year
Something nice you’d like to do for yourself
Something you would like to do for others
Something that scares you (in a good way!)
A challenge you would like to set for yourself (read x many books, attend x many yoga classes, run x many miles, etc)
A fun tradition or activity you want to do with loved ones
A home project you want to complete
An event you want to attend this year
I would love to hear how you like to welcome the new year! Let me know in the comments!
Published January 18, 2025.
