Planning for a fulfilling 2026
- nicolameirholistic
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
If you'd like to make some meaningful plans for the year ahead but haven't got round to it yet please let me assure you that you aren't 'behind'. At the beginning of every year we are bombarded with pressure to set resolutions, live like we are in control of every aspect of our lives and have bucket loads of motivation. But I actually think that January is the worst month to set intentions for the year. Many of us are in hibernation mode, conserving energy and maybe just clawing our way through each day. If we use nature as our example, it doesn't start to properly bloom until springtime therefore we should take a leaf out of natures book.
Looking back, I was never very productive in January and would berate myself for it. But six years ago I had a few sessions with a life coach who helped me reframe how I thought about January. It's always been my least favourite month of the year. Although I'm still working, doing all of my normal day to day things, I don't stress about the year ahead or start the new year all guns blazing. I do struggle with January, especially the first couple of weeks, but I try to enjoy it now. Can you relate?
Anyone that knows me, or has read any of my previous new year articles, will understand I do not set new year resolutions. I don't agree with them and I know many of you feel the same. The word 'resolution' suggests needing to change something about ourselves. Achievable goals and intentions are much more positive as they are tangible things to work towards. So January is quite fluid for me. I simply start to put a list together of anything I would like to consider for the coming months, as and when they pop into my head. But I don't fully formulate these until February.
Once February is here I then start planning. It feels like the perfect time because it parallels the changing season where spring feels like it's just around the corner. Everything is starting to renew, grow and ultimately bloom. I do love a vision board but know that this doesn't suit everyone. A simple colour coded list divided into easy, medium and hard goals/intentions can provide the visual focus to spark some enthusiasm and excitement. I personally wouldn't set any more than twenty five items on your list, divided roughly between the three sections. Get the coloured pens out and make it an event. Just remember to ensure that everything added is specific, achievable and measurable so that they are possible to do, otherwise we are setting ourselves up to fail before we have even started.
You may also find it useful to review the previous year by asking yourself these questions:
What am I most proud of this past year?
What challenges did I overcome and what have I learnt?
What will I leave behind me?
And then consider these questions about the year ahead:
What would I like to achieve this year and how can I break this down into manageable and realistic chunks?
What boundaries do I need to set to protect my energy and my time?
How do I want to feel at the end of this year?
I've also started to attach a word to my year. Something that may help to guide and inspire me when making decisions throughout the year. Almost like a theme. For example 'adventure', 'growth', 'gratitude' or 'balance'. I don't necessarily know at the beginning of the year how I will live by the word I choose but it will be in my mind as I make my list and move through each month. It's also worth bearing in mind that intentions can also take the form of undoing certain things in our lives to allow us to live better.
If you'd like to try a vision board to organise your thoughts take a read of this article I wrote a few years ago. Here I give some practical advice on looking at the year ahead and some ideas about areas you could focus on and I still follow this format myself every year:
Ultimately we should remind ourselves that we aren't behind schedule, we need to work to our own schedule, not someone else's. We must treat ourselves with kindness and compassion and what works for one person may not work for another. I know someone who plans their year in March and this works brilliantly for them. For me February is the perfect month to plan with a quick review at the end of each subsequent month. I also find that, after the lack of regular routine that the summer holidays bring, September works well to pop in a slightly more detailed assessment and plan for the last few months of the year. Infact, September offers a full reset for me.
But please don't think I have everything under control. I don't. Things happen and we have to be fluid, embrace the flow of life and adapt to change. But whatever form our intentions take we need to be our own priority. These plans can really help us to experience life rather than have life just happen to us. We are all worth investing some time in and I one hundred per cent feel it contributes to a happier more contented life.
Is this something you feel inspired to do? Will you compile a list or devise a vision board? I'd love to hear.
Thanks for reading.
N x
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