If you’re reading this blog post, it means you want to start 2026 feeling prepared, not rushed, not overwhelmed, and not burnt out. This isn’t about ending 2025 perfectly. It’s about being intentional with how you move into a new year.
This post is not just for reading. It’s meant to be practical. It’s about taking action, even if that action is small.
This time of the year can feel very overwhelming with the holidays, celebrations, social obligations, and everything else going on. In the middle of all that, it’s easy to forget to make time for yourself.
But this period is actually one of the best times to pause, reflect, and think about how the year has really been for you. Not just what you achieved, but how you felt, what drained you, what helped you, and what you want to do differently going forward.
Choosing to reflect and prepare shows that you are intentional about yourself and your life, and that is very important.
Why It’s Important to Prepare for the Next Year
Preparing for the next year is a way of checking in with yourself. It gives you the space to assess where you are in your life and whether things are really working for you.
It helps you identify what needs to change, what needs improvement, and what you need to let go of. It also allows you to look back at the mistakes you made, not from a place of judgment, but from a place of learning. Every experience has something to teach you if you’re willing to reflect on it.
This kind of preparation is not only mental. It’s also physical, emotional, spiritual, and even financial. All these areas of your life are connected, and ignoring one often affects the others.
That’s ultimately why this blog post is meant to serve as a guide. A gentle one. One that helps you reflect, reset, and prepare for 2026 in a way that supports your overall well-being.
25 Things you can do to prepare you for 2026
1. Write a Gratitude List for the Year
I’m starting this list with gratitude on purpose. No matter how difficult or overwhelming the year may have been for you, there is always something to be grateful for. It might not be the big wins you hoped for, but it could be your resilience, your growth, the lessons you learned, or simply the fact that you made it through.
Writing a gratitude list helps you remember what went well and what you can be proud of. It shifts your mindset so that when you start reflecting on the year, you’re not only focusing on what didn’t work or what went wrong.
You can keep it simple. Write down everything you’re grateful for from the year, big or small. If it helps, you can use a structured format or template to guide your thoughts.
2. Do a Deep Clean of Your Mind by Journaling What Has Been Weighing on You
After gratitude, the next step is release. This is about clearing the mental and emotional weight you’ve been carrying, sometimes without even realizing it.
Throughout the year, we accumulate a lot of thoughts, doubts, disappointments, fears, and unresolved emotions. Some of them stay in the background, but they still affect how we think, how we feel, and how we show up.
This isn’t about writing neatly or making sense of everything. It’s about honesty. Write down what’s been weighing on you mentally and emotionally. The self doubt, the frustrations, the things you didn’t say, the situations that still bother you, and the feelings you’ve been suppressing.
Once it’s on paper, you can start asking yourself what you’re ready to let go of. What no longer deserves to follow you into the next year? What can you release so you don’t keep carrying it forward?
3. Forgive Yourself for Something You’ve Been Holding On To
This could be something that happened this year or something from years ago. A decision you regret, a mistake you feel you should have known better than to make, or a moment you keep replaying in your head. Sometimes we hold on to these things because we feel like forgiving ourselves means excusing what happened.
On the other hand, refusing to forgive yourself doesn’t change the past. It only keeps you stuck in it.
If you can’t go back and undo what happened, the best thing you can do is acknowledge it, learn from it, own it, and move forward.
4. Close an Emotional Chapter You’ve Been Avoiding
This could be a chapter involving someone else, or it could be a chapter involving yourself and your emotional health. It might be an unresolved situation, a relationship that never got proper closure, or an experience you keep revisiting in your mind.
Sometimes we avoid closing a chapter because it feels uncomfortable, painful, or final.
However, closing an emotional chapter doesn’t always require a conversation with the other person. Sometimes it’s an internal decision. A decision to accept what happened, acknowledge how it made you feel, and choose not to keep reliving it.
5. Reach Out to Someone You Miss and Reconnect
This could be an old friend, a family member, or someone you haven’t spoken to in a long time. Life gets busy, and relationships sometimes drift without us even noticing. Reaching out is a way to bridge that gap and reconnect with people who have mattered to you.
It doesn’t have to be a long conversation or a deep exchange. Even a simple message, a call, or a note can remind both of you of the bond you share.
6. Set Boundaries with Someone Who Has Been Draining You
This could be a friend, a colleague, or anyone whose presence leaves you feeling depleted. As you enter 2026, you don’t want someone who drained your 2025 to carry that energy into the new year. You need to protect all the gains, growth, and progress you made this year.
Setting boundaries isn’t about being unkind. It’s about preserving your energy and making sure you can move into the new year fully focused on your goals, your peace, and your well being.
7. Let Go of an Unhealthy Habit
There may be a lot of habits you know aren’t serving you, but you don’t have to tackle them all at once. The goal is to make a conscious effort to let go of at least one before the year ends.
It could be anything, negative self-talk, procrastination, excessive screen time, overthinking, unhealthy eating, or anything else that you know is holding you back. The point is to choose one habit, focus on it, and take a deliberate step toward dropping it.
8. Donate or Give Away Things You No Longer Need
We all have things lying around that we’re holding onto, thinking we’ll use them someday, but let’s be honest, most of the time, we never do. Those items just take up space and energy in your life.
If you have something that could genuinely benefit someone else, instead of letting it sit unused, give it up. Donate it, pass it along, or gift it to someone who needs it. Not only does this declutter your space, but it also creates a sense of purpose and generosity.
9. Unfollow People Whose Posts No Longer Benefit You
Sometimes we feel obligated to follow or support certain people, celebrities, influencers, even friends, but not all content is good for our mental health. Some posts can subconsciously make you doubt yourself, feel like you’re not doing enough, or convince you that everyone else is living a “better” life.
These are the kinds of content you don’t need in your feed. Unfollow accounts that no longer inspire, motivate, or uplift you. Hence, curate your social media so it supports your growth instead of making you question your progress.
10. Have a Hard Conversation You’ve Been Avoiding
This is especially important when it comes to your personal needs, your relationships, and unresolved hurt or trauma. Sometimes the reason you avoid certain conversations is because you don’t know how to face them, or you’re afraid of what might come up.
However, avoiding the conversation doesn’t make the issue disappear. It just keeps it sitting there, affecting you quietly. Maybe it’s time to face it, even if it feels uncomfortable.
11. Fix Something Small in Your Life
This could be anything, a small task, a leaky tap, a messy drawer, or finally organising your digital files.
Even small fixes matter. They give you a sense of accomplishment, help you feel more in control, and create momentum for tackling bigger things. These little wins add up and set a positive tone as you move into the new year.
12. Delete Apps and Files You No Longer Use
This goes beyond just removing apps from your phone. Take a moment to clean up your other devices too, delete old files, unread emails, and anything else you no longer need.
Clearing out digital clutter not only creates more space and reduces distractions, it can also improve your digital security.
13. Revisit a Dream You’ve Abandoned and Work on It
This is especially helpful for people who come up with ideas, write them down, and then tuck them away, never acting on them. Maybe it was a project, a creative idea, or a personal goal that you didn’t pursue.
Now is the time to go back, revisit that dream, and see how you can make it work in 2026.
14. Read a Book or Watch Something That Interests You
Take some time to read a book, watch a movie, or a documentary, anything that sparks your curiosity or inspires you. This isn’t just about entertainment; it’s about feeding your mind and giving yourself a break from routine.
Use this as a way to recharge, learn, and enjoy a little intentional time for yourself before the new year begins.
15. Go for a Health or Wellness Check
This is important, even if you feel healthy or don’t have any symptoms. Many people think check-ups are only necessary when something is wrong, but that’s not the case. Regular health checks, even for one part of your body or a specific organ, can help you catch small issues before they become bigger problems.
Remember: health is wealth, and that is the kind of wealth we should take into the new year.
16. Say No to Something You Don’t Want to Do
Remember, you always have the right to refuse something that doesn’t feel right or that you don’t feel obligated to do. This isn’t just about day-to-day decisions, it’s about setting a pattern for the year ahead.
Make it a practice in 2026 to say no to things you genuinely don’t want to say yes to. Protecting your time, energy, and boundaries is a powerful step toward living intentionally and prioritizing what truly matters to you.
17. Volunteer or Perform a Simple Act of Kindness
We’ve already talked about giving away things you no longer need, but this goes a step further. Volunteering or doing a small act of kindness can put a smile on someone’s face, help someone in need, or simply show up for someone.
These gestures come in many forms, assisting a neighbour, offering your time, or even sending an encouraging message. Consequently, Small acts can have a big impact, both for others and for yourself.
18. Check in on Your Mental Health Honestly
This is for you, not for anyone else. Take a moment to assess your mental and emotional well being without pretending to be okay. Be honest about how you feel, what’s weighing on you, and what you might need to feel better.
Remember, help is readily available. You can speak to a counselor, psychologist, or to speak with a mental health coach, you can book a one-on-one session with me. Prioritizing your mental health sets a strong foundation for the new year.
19. Do Something Fun for Yourself
December can be filled with festivities and stress, but it’s important to make time for joy. Even if it’s just an hour in a day, do something that makes you happy, something purely for yourself.
It could be a hobby, a favourite activity, or a simple indulgence. Taking time to relax and have fun is essential for your well being.
20. Put a Small Amount of Money into Your Savings
This is a reminder, not a one-time task. Saving doesn’t have to be huge, but building the habit matters. Your finances affect many aspects of your life, and having even a small cushion can give you peace of mind. The earlier you start, the more confident and secure you’ll feel moving into 2026.
If you need a financial stress relief worksheet, feel free to download it.
21. Visit a New Place
This could be somewhere close to home, even a corner of your street or a part of your neighbourhood you’ve never explored. Take the time to stop, observe, and experience something new.
Exploring new places, even small ones can refresh your perspective, spark curiosity, and give you a sense of adventure as you head into the new year.
22. Deep Clean Your Home
This is something I’m very familiar with because it’s a tradition I’ve done every year. Growing up, my mom always made us do a thorough end-of-year cleaning with the mindset that we should enter the new year with a clean house.
Take the time to thoroughly clean your home before the year ends. This isn’t just about sweeping or dusting, it’s about lifting furniture, organizing spaces, and clearing areas that haven’t been touched in a while.
Many people don’t do this regularly, and some corners of your home might not have been fully cleaned since you moved in. Use this as an opportunity to declutter, donate items you no longer need, and create a fresh, organized space.
Entering 2026 with a clean home can also help create mental clarity and a sense of renewal.
23. Set an Intention for Who You Want to Be
Reflect on the person you want to become in 2026. This is about more than goals, it’s about mindset and identity. Think about your values, habits, and the way you want to show up for yourself and others.
Write down your intention clearly and revisit it often. Let this intention guide your decisions, actions, and priorities as you move into the new year.
24. Try Something New
Take the opportunity to do something you’ve never done before, no matter how small. It could be riding a bicycle, learning a new skill, or trying an activity that pushes you out of your comfort zone.
Doing something new keeps life exciting, helps you grow, and reminds you that learning and discovery don’t stop, no matter your age.
25. Write Your Goals and Make a Vision Board
Finally, set your goals for the new year and make a vision board. Writing down your goals helps solidify them in your mind, while a vision board keeps them visible and inspires action.
Seeing your goals regularly reinforces your intentions and makes it easier to stay focused throughout the year. This is your way of visualizing the life you want to create in 2026, not just dreaming about it.
Conclusion
So there you have it… 25 things you can do before the year ends. The great thing is that many of these aren’t just one-time tasks; they’re things you can repeat, cultivate as habits, and carry forward into 2026, no matter how your 2025 has been.
I’m glad you made it to the end of this post, and I hope it inspires you to step into the new year with intention, clarity, and a sense of purpose. Here’s to a better, brighter, and more intentional 2026.
I wish you the very best!
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