Learn how to set clear intentions for 2026 with simple, mindful steps to create a focused, purpose-driven year
Learn how to set clear intentions for 2026 to focus your energy, align your goals, and create a more purposeful year.
Maybe you are aiming for that new job or promotion. Or committed to finally stick to that workout routine. You could be changing your lifestyle habits or trying to save money.
For many of us the New Year also means new ‘resolutions’.
As the new year approaches it can feel like a pressure to figure things out to work together a plan to set yourself on the track for the new year. By rattling off a list of things you want to aim to accomplish (with most of us abandoning a few of them by February). But the process can actually be a whole lot simpler, by just changing the way we approach it.
In recent years we have seen a big shift to setting intentions for the new year – a broader more value driven way to look at how we want our next year to look, rather than just specific achievements.
Intention setting is a great way to visualise the life you want to create for yourself, through focusing on the process of creating these new opportunities you seek.
So for this new year, our team at bondi beauty have put together your go to guide to setting your intentions for 2026, so grab your journal and get ready.
First Up. Let’s reflect.
Start by simply brainstorming how you feel about how things are at this time. Think about the areas you like and the things you want to change.
Think about the way you’re feeling and what you want to feel in the new year. Maybe more connected, or more creative or peaceful?
Jot down these ideas and put anything you think down on paper, no judgement.
Set your values
When you think about your life, what truly matters to you for this new year?
This could be wanting to be more grateful or more present. Looking to be more confident or ambitious. Listing our values can also help us identify where we can find these values in.
A certain connection? Working on your learning? Prioritising your health?
What do I want more of? What do I want less of?
The approach of a new year can also leave us feeling like we also need to ‘shed a skin’ and leave things behind that no longer serve us. When approaching our intention, having a clear jot down of the things we seek more of in the new year, alongside things we seek to leave behind, is a core part of working out what your intentions for this new year will be.
Ask yourself two simple questions:
What do I want more of?
What do I want less of?
Maybe this could be wanting more time to yourself to prioritize your self care. Or maybe wanting less social experiences involving alcohol? It’s up to you.
Write down as many that come to mind and don’t overthink it. These statements will help you identify the overall theme of what intention you’re seeking for the new year.
Start working out your intentions
2025 has been a wild ride for many of us. So the thought of having a new year as a new page to begin and re-align yourself is a great way to look at it.
Intention setting is a mindful practice of consciously choosing how you want to be, feel, and show up in your life, focusing on your inner journey and values rather than just external outcomes like goals.
From your brainstorming so far you will be able to identify 2-3 central themes from what you’re seeking for yourself and your life. Remember intentions are’nt resolutions, so lets avoid any cringey tangible statements like ‘lose weight’, this is all about focusing on the values you seek in your life.
Think statements instead like:
This year I seek to live a more active lifestyle
This year I seek to pay attention to my body so that I move through each day feeling physically fulfilled
The key to setting a good New Year’s Intention is choosing a short phrase that reflects that change you want to work toward. What’s key is that this phrase brings you a positive emotion and aligns with your core values you outlined earlier. It’s all about looking into the new year with a confidence over the intention, rather than facing the usual pressure from a typical resolution.
Some example intentions can look like:
I want to appreciate everything in my life as much as possible.
When life is hard, please help me see things in a new light.
May I be humble enough to surrender the things I cannot control.
Remember you can also make your intentions as specific as they need to be. If you have a specific goal this year reframe it into a feeling and intention.
Let’s make them stick: visualisation
If you want to make your intentions stick, you need to visualise them. A great way to do this is to create a vision board with your intention statements, and perhaps even some images surrounding them that relate.
Another great way could be to write your intention statements down and stick them to your bedroom or bathroom mirror, that way your reminded of your intentions each time you look in the mirror.
Some also find creating a phone wallpaper with these statements in a vision board is also a great way to remind yourself.
Intentions into action: making goals
Now that we have our overall intention, theme and seeking values for the new year a great way to enact this change and track your progress is through setting actionable goals for yourself.
New Year’s intentions are powerful for guiding your focus, but the real magic happens when you break them down into clear, actionable goals.
By setting specific goals each month that reflect your intentions, you’ll not only stay on track but also start seeing meaningful progress toward the life you want.
Maybe purchase yourself a goal diary, or simply write a list of your goals next to your calendar and tick off the weekly ways you’re working to achieve them.
Remind yourself that intention setting is also all about valuing the process of achieving these goals that align with your intentions. So remember to have gratitude for yourself!
A new, and clear step forward
A New Year is a powerful pause point, a chance to look back at how far you’ve come, acknowledge the lessons along the way, and reconnect with what truly matters to you.
For this new year, rather than rushing into resolutions, it’s an opportunity to set clear intentions: choosing how you want to show up, what you want to prioritize, and why those choices matter.
This intention setting helps you focus your energy with purpose, guiding your decisions and actions throughout the year instead of leaving them to habit or pressure.
When you move forward with your intentions, the year becomes less about chasing goals and more about aligning your daily life with the person you’re becoming.
