As I sit here by the window on a crisp, sunny, snowy day, I feel that innate connection to the seasons. It reminds me of the starkness of winter, with the light of spring gently emerging on the horizon.
In the past, my first day back in the new year would have been spent creating a comprehensive vision and updating my to-do list.
But in this phase of my life, the urge to plan in minute detail no longer fuels me. I prefer to co-create with life, to sense into a direction and let things unfold.
Instead of rigid plans or grand declarations, I begin with a gentle check-in. A conversation with myself about what matters, what’s stirring, and what feels ready to grow.
If you’re weary of the ‘new year, new me’ energy that saturates this time of year, some simple (yet powerful) questions can offer a soft anchor for the season without the pressure to change up everything in your business.
This year, I thought I’d share my process as an invitation to begin the year more kindly and gently (and sustainably!)
My process for 2026
The Direction
To begin, I asked myself a guiding question. If I was to gently sense into what my business could become in 2026, what would arise?
I sit with this question with no sense of urgency or demand. I am not setting goals or objectives but rather seeking a shape, a feel or rhythm.
For me, the idea of seasons feels significant this year. It may be because I am currently reading “Wintering” by Katherine May that has reminded me of our connection to these natural phases. I think most of 2025 was wintering for me. A season of turning inward, of healing and reshaping the kind of business that feels aligned and nourishing.
Now, as the light slowly returns, I can feel a quiet shift. It’s not a sudden bloom but the earliest inklings of spring. There is still slowness and softness, but I notice small stirrings. Ideas beginning to stretch, clarity starting to form and a renewed desire to connect.
I am a woman in midlife. My needs have changed. My capacity is different. My tolerance is reduced for anything that doesn’t serve or uplift. I don’t want complex systems or too much to juggle. I am seeking ease, flow and meaning.
So over to you, if you were to gently sense into what your business could become in 2026, what would arise?
Three Words that Anchor
Once I felt into a direction, I wanted to shape that sense into something more tangible. Not goals or targets, but three words that can gently guide the energy I bring to my work. I like to think of them as quiet companions for the months ahead offering a way to stay close to what matters, even when things get busy or uncertain. For 2026, my words are discernment, creativity and community.
Discernment
This feels like wise woman energy that comes from my many years around the sun. A growing lack of desire to follow traditional business advice and a deeper trust in finding my own path. It’s a willingness to turn away from opportunities that don’t fit, even if they sound good in principle. Discernment helps me sift through my systems, ideas and commitments, and release anything that feels overcomplicated or distracting. I want what remains to feel spacious and intentional.
Creativity
Creativity was a word I fully embraced last year. Not as a ‘nice-to-do’ but as something foundational to the business. It’s about free play without an outcome, losing myself in a process and seeing what emerges. This way of creating helps me make sense of my world and notice what truly matters. Last year, it led to projects like the Kind Light Reflection Kit and my first Create & Connect networking event. I’m curious to see what chooses to show up this year as I continue to make space for it.
Community
This feels like the heart of the year ahead. After a long season of wintering, isolation has had its place, but I am now ready and eager to reconnect. I’m actively seeking co‑creative relationships and meaningful conversation. I also intend to build the Business Unfolding community made up of women ready to embrace their wise woman era and who want to work with intention, kindness, gentleness and depth.
What three words feel like companions for the year ahead for you?
Five Seeds to Nurture
When we get bogged down in complex to-do lists, there is little space to let things emerge. So, I like to think of my business projects as seeds to nurture. I’m responsible for keeping them watered and nourished but not forcing growth. Nor do I need to constantly dig them up and replant!
And with seeds, you never know exactly what you will get. Every flower looks different to the picture on the seed packet. Like watching the flower bloom, you get to witness the unfolding in action. An early idea you plant, the seedling emerging, the first buds of growth.
Some ideas make it to full growth. Others may not and new seeds may be planted along the way.
Choosing five seeds to nurture keeps this process organic for me. I don’t clasp things too tightly and I am able to evolve my thinking in tandem.
The five I have chosen for 2026 are:
1. Crafting the Signature Piece
A body of work that names the quiet transitions of midlife and invites us to embrace the wise woman within.2. Nurturing Create & Connect
Growing the networking events into spaces of creativity, reflection and meaningful exchange for women in business.
3. Sharing the Business Unfolding model
Letting the ideas take root through gentle visibility, conversations and community-building.
4. Expanding the Unfolding Sessions
Opening space for more women to reshape their business life with support, rhythm and self-trust.
5. Deepening Connection
Weaving relationships that feel nourishing, co-creative and real (both online and off).
What projects or ideas feel worth planting and nourishing this year for you?
A Rooted Ritual
Of course, even the most tenderly planted seeds need steady care. In the past, I would have turned to complicated systems or detailed trackers to keep me focused but these days, I find that what helps most is rhythm. Something simple and nourishing that brings me back to what matters.
So, I finish this process with a question: What gentle rhythm or ritual will help me stay connected as the year unfolds?
It could be as light as:
· A monthly check-in with your three words
· A weekly review of your five seeds
· A seasonal pause to notice what’s shifting
For me, I’ve chosen two simple rhythms:
• Friday check-in: A weekly pause to reflect on how much I’ve embodied my words for the year. Not to track or measure, but rather to notice what’s felt alive and what might need more space.
• Seasonal check-in: Every six or so weeks, I’ll take myself on a retreat (physical or metaphorical) to give space to notice what’s blooming, what’s shifting and what I need before entering the next phase.
These gentle rituals give my year a sense of shape without pressure. They let me stay connected to what matters, even as life unfolds in its own time.
What gentle rhythm or ritual will help you to stay connected as the year unfolds?
If you found your way to here, thank you for reading. I hope this offered a gentler and more grounded alternative to the usual new year noise.
If something here landed for you, whether a phrase, a question or simply a sense of possibility, I’d love to know. You’re welcome to share your own words, seeds or rituals in the comments or carry them quietly into the weeks ahead.
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Wishing you a year that feels kind, intentional and meaningful 🧡
You're so lucky to have a business. I've been unemployed since October 2024.