Gentle Intentions for 2026

I’ve written some version of a hopes and goals post for the past few years. It’s become a quiet January ritual. A review of the past year, and way of naming what matters before the year properly gets going.

This year, instead of setting rigid goals, I’m approaching my 2026 intentions as direction rather than destination. Less “by December I will have achieved X”, more “this is how I want to move through my days”. Life with a four year old has a way of sanding down sharp plans anyway. Add parenting, a body that needs listening to, and creative work that usually happens when Kaydes is asleep or at daycare.

Rigidity quickly loses its appeal, so these are my gentle intentions for 2026. Not rules. Not resolutions. Just things I want to keep turning toward.

Moving my body with respect, not punishment

Exercise isn’t about aesthetics or pushing through discomfort for the sake of it anymore. It’s about health, longevity, and staying strong for the long haul – physically and mentally.

Yoga didn’t really stick, and that’s okay. This year, my intention is simply to move my body every day in ways that feel doable and fun. That might be short at-home workouts like I did today with Kaydes, longer walks around Wellington now that she’s a bit older, or trying new activities that push me slightly out of my comfort zone.

It’s about listening to my body, being flexible, and saying yes more often – without turning movement into an obligation. Rest will still have its place, but the focus is on joy, energy, and connection over perfection.

Financial calm, not constant restriction

Money has been a theme for a while, but this year it’s less about strict budgets and more about balance

I want financial calm. That means continuing to save where I can, but without living in a state of low-grade anxiety about every purchase. It means planning travel thoughtfully, staying budget-aware, and trusting myself to make sensible choices without swinging between extremes.

I want Kaydes to grow up seeing money as something we manage with care, not fear. And I want to model that balance for myself too.

Protecting my energy and writing with intention

I have big hopes for my writing, my blog, and my YouTube channel, but 2026 isn’t about doing more at all costs. These 2026 intentions are rooted in protecting my energy first, and being realistic about what I can produce while being the primary caregiver to a small child.

That means saying no to things that drain me, even if they look good on paper. It means building slowly, showing up consistently rather than burning brightly and disappearing. My focus still is on writing that feels honest, useful, and emotionally true. Sometimes that will mean fewer posts, but with more depth as the tradeoff. Sometimes it will mean life getting in the way, and that being perfectly okay.

Releasing unnecessary pressure

This might be the most important intention of all.

I want to let go of the constant need to prove that I’m doing enough. Enough as a mum, as a creator, as a person navigating a life that doesn’t follow a straight line. Instead, I want to move through the year with more curiosity about what actually matters to me, rather than what I feel I “should” be doing.

Part of that is checking in with myself regularly. I’ll be seeing my therapist more often in 2026, not because anything is broken, but because I want to stay aligned with myself and the life I’m building.

These 2026 intentions feel like an invitation to hold myself gently, strengthen quietly, and trust that showing up, even imperfectly, is more than enough.

---

I’m curious what this year is asking of you. Not what you want to achieve, necessarily, but what you want to move toward gently.

However you’re entering 2026, I hope it gives you room to breathe.