Instead of a babelaas on the first day of 2026, why not start the year off gently with an expert's seven day plan to ease into the year.
It’s a tradition that just adds pressure. New Year’s Eve starts the next twelve-month cycle with fireworks and a bazaar, and a list of resolutions that fall off the bus at the first pitstop. It’s unnecessary pressure that can be avoided.
Instead of life being a party pooper for a year, said Annemarie Viviers of Heavenly Healing, take it slow.
“Start the year with less demand and more intention,” she said. “A gentle start to a year is not a copout. It is an act of restoration. When people soften their pace, they make room for the kind of change that lasts.”
Viviers said that she follows a seven-day guide built around small daily practices that ease the body and mind into the year rather than shaking them into it.
Day one. Take five minutes of nothing
Start the year with a short breathing practice. The idea is not a transformation. It is grounding. Five minutes of quiet each morning is enough to settle the nervous system and pull attention back from the shockwaves of December.
Viviers said quiet is underrated.
“People think wellness must be dramatic. Stillness is often the most powerful tool they have but rarely use,” she said.
Day two. Soothe your body
Spoil yourself with a gentle massage. Apply some slow stretching exercises or self-love yourself by applying lotion with a bit more attention and care. This can totally change how the body carries itself into the new year, said Viviers.
The point is comfort because when the body feels safe and supported, the mind follows. Viviers said these small rituals teach the body that it is cared for, not commanded. That changes everything about how people respond to stress.
Day three. A single simple intention
Forget your laundry list of resolutions. Choose one word or a short value that feels doable. It’s called an intention, and it will help you frame the year rather than ruling everything you do and setting yourself up for disappointment.
Research has suggested that small value-based changes have better staying power than sweeping declarations
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Day four. Ringfence rest
Just like a car, you must refuel. The new year cannot kick off when your tank is empty. Work on developing a calmer wind-down every day, limited your screen time, change your pre-bedtime.
“Better sleep improves clarity, steadies mood and sets the tone for the months ahead,” said Viviers.
“People want emotional balance, but ignore the first lever they have, which is rest. Nothing in life works like it should when someone is exhausted,” she said.
Day five. Go outside, even just the lawn
Reset yourself with a short walk outside or ten minutes a day spent amongst some greenery. It can pull your being back into balance, said Viviers.
“Nature can influence the slowing of your internal pace, especially after the rush of December. A few minutes of sky watching, sitting under a tree or walking around the block can pull you out of mental dog-chase-tail and into something that helps you rest.”
Day six. Moments of honesty. Grab a pen
Writing down your feelings is not for sissies. Journaling can be a powerful way to reshape your thinking and calm your spirit. Write a paragraph a day about your hopes, your dreams, your day that you just experienced, and how you feel about things.
“Writing down thoughts and feelings turns emotion into something tangible,” said Viviers. “It’s an acknowledgement, but it is also a way of expressing intent. As long as you are honest with yourself.”
Day seven. Go analogue, sort of
Change your phone settings, mute WhatsApp groups, turn off notifications, and make space for some of the other habits you are trying to build.
Stop scrolling social media for hours on end. When the mind is less overwhelmed, said Viviers, it helps reset your biorhythms and minimises all the competing voices in your head.
You should then create space to hear your own voice. Going analogue, or just tuning out a bit of digital interference, can go a long way towards a gentler start to 2026.
Viviers said the common thread through all these steps is really self-care and self-compassion.
“People treat the new year like a race. It is not. It is an opening of another raceway. When you allow the year to blossom like a flower, slower and as nature intended, what follows feels more stable,” she said.
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