Starting the Year on Purpose
The start of a new year often arrives with a quiet expectation: Now is the time to get it together.
We’re encouraged to reflect, reset, and reimagine our lives, as if the person you were on December 31st wasn’t good enough just as they were. For many people, that pressure doesn’t feel motivating. It feels heavy. And if you’ve noticed yourself feeling resistant, tired, or overwhelmed by “new year” energy, you’re not failing at growth—you’re responding honestly.
Instead of pushing yourself toward change, this year might be an invitation to move toward purpose and intention.
Why Values Are a More Supportive Starting Point
Goals focus on outcomes. Values focus on alignment.
When we set goals without grounding them in our values, it’s easy to chase things that look good on the outside but don’t actually nourish us. Values help us understand why we want what we want and whether it still fits the person we are right now.
Values might include things like:
Authenticity
Stability
Connection
Growth
Peace
Creativity
Integrity
These aren’t things you check off a list, they are the ideals and beliefs that actually motivate us to act.
Intention Isn’t About Control
Living with intention doesn’t mean having a perfectly curated life or sticking to a rigid plan. It means having something consistent and authentic to return to when life inevitably pulls you off course.
An intention might sound like:
I want to move through this year with more honesty.
I want to make choices that protect my energy.
I want to listen to myself instead of overriding my needs.
These intentions leave room for imperfection while prioritizing what actually matters to you.
A Grounding Exercise: Clarifying Your Values
Set aside 10–15 quiet minutes.
Reflect back: Think about moments from the past year when you felt most like yourself—or most drained.
Notice patterns: What values felt present in the moments that felt good? What felt missing in the hard ones?
Choose 2–3 values that feel especially important in this season of your life.
There’s no forever choice here. Values can shift as life shifts.
Journaling Prompts
You might explore one or two of these:
When do I feel most grounded or at ease? What does that tell me about what I value?
What have I been pushing myself toward that no longer feels aligned?
If I honored my values more consistently, what might change in how I spend my time or energy?
What would it look like to measure this year by how I feel rather than what I achieve?
If You’re Feeling Disconnected From Yourself
For some people, identifying values or setting intentions can feel surprisingly hard—especially if you’ve spent a long time prioritizing others, staying in survival mode, or pushing through discomfort. Therapy can be a place to slow down and reconnect with yourself in a way that feels safe and supported.
This year doesn’t need to be about becoming someone new. It can be about coming back to what already matters. Download my FREE Start The Year On Purpose Values Exercise HERE and go deeper.
Ready to start the year feeling more grounded?
If you’re finding it hard to slow down, reconnect with yourself, or live in alignment with what actually matters, therapy can be a supportive place to begin. I work with adults who are feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or disconnected and want support clarifying their values, setting boundaries, and moving through life with more intention and self-trust.
