Rising into 2026: Journal Exercise
We gathered on a quiet winter day to pause before the rush of a new year fully takes hold—to breathe, to reflect, to notice what we're carrying and what we're ready to release. This journal exercise was part of that retreat, and I'm sharing it here because you don't need to wait for a perfect moment or a structured program to check in with yourself. You can do this right now, wherever you are. The transition from one year to the next isn't just about setting goals or making resolutions—it's an invitation to listen. To get honest about what's working and what's weighing you down. To remember that rising doesn't mean you have to become someone new. It means honoring what's already here while gently making space for what wants to emerge. Give yourself 15-20 minutes. No judgment, no perfect answers. Just you, your breath, and whatever surfaces.
Find a comfortable spot. Take three slow breaths. Notice what surfaces.
What Surfaced & What to Release
Without trying to create a narrative, write down what you noticed. What sensations, emotions, or thoughts showed up?
We often step into a new year carrying things that aren't ours to carry anymore—old stories, other people's expectations, versions of ourselves we've outgrown. What feels heavy right now? What would it feel like to put some of that down?
What's Already Here & How You Want to Feel
"Rising" isn't about abandoning who you are or where you've been. It's about recognizing what's already working, what you want to build on, what's been quietly growing.
What's one thing you've been doing that's actually serving you? What part of your life feels aligned right now?
Instead of resolutions or goals, consider this: If 2026 could feel a certain way in your body, your relationships, your daily life—how would you want it to feel?
Write that word or phrase here. Come back to it when the year gets noisy.
One Small Shift
You already have everything you need inside of you. You don't need to reinvent yourself or overhaul your entire life.
What's one small shift—in how you speak to yourself, how you structure your mornings, what you say yes or no to—that would create a little more space for what you named above?
Close
Take a moment to reread what you wrote. This isn't a contract with yourself—it's a conversation. You can return to it, revise it, or let it evolve as you do.
Take three more breaths. Notice how your body feels now.
