Hello, 2026!

Stepping Into the NEw Year with Intention

For many of us, the last weeks of the year are also the busiest—children on break,  loved ones squeezing in quality time wherever it fits, responsibilities and deadlines loom. The passage of time shifts a bit—days blur together, hours feel like minutes (and sometimes, minutes feel like hours), and the push-and-pull between the have-tos and the want-tos keeps us just a little off-kilter. It’s the most wonderful (and exhausting, and demanding) time of the year! And before we’ve even caught our breath, the new year is upon us.

There’s a common social ritual of goal-setting and vision-casting that happens as we turn our calendars from one year to the next. For some, this feels refreshing—an opportunity to dream about who we will become, the life we will build, and how we will feel about our year when December rolls back around. For others, this feels overwhelming—like we have to get this part just right, or that we have to keep up with the people around us who seem to have everything just a little bit (or a lot!) more together than we do.

Whether you are entering this transitional season with anticipation or anxiety, it can be helpful (and regulating) to acknowledge the passage of time and approach it with intention. We encourage you to read through the ideas we’ve curated here as you welcome the new year. As always—take what fits and leave the rest!

IF THE NEW YEAR FEELS LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY

If you are anticipating the new year with feelings of hope and possibility, you’re likely already doing a lot of dreaming—for yourself, your family, your goals. Here are a few rituals to consider to ensure you are stepping into the new year with more than just positive energy, but true intention:

Get Creative

There’s a reason that journaling is such a classic ritual this time of year—taking pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard!) to reflect on the year behind you and dream about the year ahead can help to organize your thoughts, create meaning from your experiences, and explore areas of focus. There’s no right way to engage in this ritual, but if you’re having trouble getting started, consider the prompts here:

Looking Back

• Which three moments sparked the most joy for you in 2025?

• What accomplishments are you most proud of this year?

• What habits and routines served you well this year (and which ones didn’t)?

• If you could give your past self advice, what would it be?

Looking Forward

• What values do you want to prioritize this year? How will you know that you kept your focus on these?

• What new skills, adventures, or healthy habits do you want to cultivate this year? What do you hope they add to your life?

• How do you want to feel this time next year? How will you define “a good year” for yourself?

Is writing not your thing? Consider adapting this practice in other creative ways—make a collage or vision board, make a playlist of songs that reflect your past year and your hopes for the year ahead. Anything you can do to take abstract reflection and make it more real can help you walk into the new year with intention and awareness.

Reflection Rituals

Whether you’ve had a hard 2025 (solidarity—this author is right there with you) or this was the best year of your life so far, finding ways to reflect, honor, and move forward with your experiences can be just as crucial as dreaming about what you hope for 2026. Here are some reflection rituals that can help:

• Gratitude Rituals: Express gratitude (in writing or out loud) for your experiences and what they’ve brought you.

• Symbolic Release: draw your experiences in sand and erase them, write them on paper and (safely!) burn them, or follow a guided meditation and envision releasing those experiences from your body.

• Debriefing Together: connect with a loved one, reflecting on the hard things you walked through (and survived!), how you’ve grown, and ways that you’re continuing to carry those experiences with you.

Future-focused Rituals

Ready to start the new year with intention and care? There are many common practices across cultures that aid in the process of entering the new season with fullness and hope:

• Decluttering: physically making space in your environment can be both practical (for many of us, our minds and bodies thrive when there’s order and routine) and symbolic. Take time to really look at the belongings you’re holding onto and ask whether they’re serving you well in this new season or if letting them go (by donating, recycling, or regifting) will help you to create more space in your life for what’s coming.

• Goal Setting: identify (realistic!) goals for the coming year. For each goal, plan 2-3 “baby steps” you can accomplish quickly to build momentum and help you feel accomplished and motivated.

• Word/Theme of the Year: it can be helpful to identify a simple, easy-to-remember word or theme for your year to help you focus your energy on what matters most to you. This word or theme can become the tool you use to evaluate what you say yes to—and what you say no to!

Whatever you choose to do to reflect and dream, we encourage you to create time and space for yourself to truly be present and engaged, however that looks for you!

IF THE NEW YEAR FEELS LIKE AN OBLIGATION

If you are staring down January 1st like it’s another task on your list, many of us are right here with you. It’s okay to opt out of the social ritual of visioning and planning altogether. It’s also okay to find grounding and regulating ways to engage with the new year buzz. Here are a few ways you can approach the new year with intention that’s authentic, not performative or obligatory:

Opting Out (On Purpose)

You know yourself the best—nobody else lives in your body or experiences your day like you do! If you’d prefer to let 2026 happen without much fanfare, there are ways to do this with purpose and intent (instead of letting it happen by accident). Take a moment to reflect on why you are choosing to opt out of the new year hype—understanding your reason makes it a decision and not avoidance. Practice how you’ll respond to the inevitable questions about new year’s resolutions or future plans—having a script can help to increase your own comfort and avoid feeling obligated to explain! And remember—you get to change your mind. If February (or March, or July) hits and you start to feel ready to reflect, dream, or plan, you can find ways to engage those rituals that feels meaningful and safe to you.

Opting In (Authentically)

This time of year, we are surrounded by people who get very into the social rituals surrounding the new year. Influencers share their beautifully curated vision boards. Teachers assign projects focused on reflection and goal-setting. Colleagues shift their attention to strategy and planning. It can feel all-consuming and the urge to participate in these rituals can feel strong, even when our heart isn’t in it. Remember—this isn’t all-or-nothing. There are ways to opt in with authenticity instead of performance. Focus on what’s meaningful to you, not what others are doing. Connect with the past year’s experiences by revisiting favorite places or making meaningful meals. Envision who you will become in 2026 without pushing yourself to share about it with others. Take a hiatus from social media for a month to avoid the pressure to perform. Spend time with others who are doing the new year quietly, too. You get to decide how and when to engage—and there’s no right or wrong way!

At OCOF, we are looking back on a year filled with connection and dreaming. We are looking forward to a year of meaningful, aligned, impactful work together with our community. We wish you all the best as you move into 2026—however you choose for that to look!

We look very forward to connecting with you in the new year!