How I Plan With Intention for 2026 (+ What a Vision Board Really Is)
As the year winds down, it’s easy to feel pulled in a thousand directions. There’s pressure to do more, see more, spend more, and perform more, even when our bodies and minds are quietly asking for rest.
This December, instead of chasing noise or perfection, I wanted to step into the new year with a more grounded, nourishing, and sustainable approach. That’s what this post (and the video that inspired it) is all about.
You can watch the full plan-with-me video here: 👉 Watch on YouTube
In this post, we’ll walk through:
Why reflection matters before planning
What a vision board really is (and isn’t)
How I set up my planner + journaling system for 2026
My approach to routines, habits, and nourishment
How all of this ties into intentional living
Pause Before You Plan: Reflecting First
Before I jump into any visioning, goals, or structure, I always begin by looking back.
Here’s the journaling ritual I use:
✨ What felt nourishing this past year?
✨ What felt heavy, exhausting, or out of alignment?
✨ What am I ready to release before stepping into 2026?
✨ What do I want to protect more intentionally?
These questions aren’t about perfection. They’re about honesty. When we plan from reflection instead of reaction, our goals become less about proving something and more about supporting our actual lives.
What a Vision Board Really Is (and How I Use Mine)
A vision board isn’t a wish list of pretty photos tucked under glass. Nor is it a promise of perfection.
To me, a vision board is a visual expression of how I want my life to feel in the year ahead.
It’s a way of clarifying the energy I want to cultivate, not the exact outcomes I hope to force.
In my 2026 vision board, you’ll find images and words that evoke:
🌿 calm, unhurried mornings
📓 creative consistency
🏡 warm, intentional home space
🤍 presence in motherhood
✨ sustainable energy and routines
When I look at these images each day, they shape my choices — what I say yes to, and what I kindly let go.
A vision board doesn’t make change happen.
It guides the change you’re already ready for.
Setting Up My Planner & Journal for the Year Ahead
Tools matter. Not because they make us productive, but because they make us present.
There’s something deeply grounding about writing things down, especially by hand, and checking in with your planner several times over the day to ensure you’re staying on track. It anchors my presence and mindfulness daily.
Here’s how I use mine:
1. Year-at-a-Glance
A big picture view of months, seasons, milestones.
2. Monthly Intention Pages
Not rigid goals — intentions that shape how I want to experience each month.
I also make note of birthdays, special events, appointments, trips away, and any other significant dates in the coming month.
3. Daily Pages
These are reserved for:
prioritizing tasks with work (currently focused on content creation during my maternity leave)
my household chore schedule
weekly meals
weekly workouts
habit trackers
to-do lists
4. A Companion Journal
This is where deeper thoughts live:
reflections on the year passed
meditation insights
long-form processing
This system doesn’t control my life — it holds it with curiosity and care.
From Structure to Support: My Approach to Routines
Instead of forcing a rigid schedule, I build around anchors — consistent touchpoints that orient my day without overwhelming it.
Some of mine include:
🌅 Opening the home — waking the space with natural light & intention
🕯 Morning journaling + tea
🚶♀️ Movement (walks, gentle stretches)
🍲 Nourishing meals
📝 Evening reflections
These anchors help me stay connected to my week even when the day looks unpredictable — a reality any parent will deeply understand.
Planning Routines, Workouts, Meals & Habits
I don’t plan to do more — I plan to feel better doing what matters.
Here’s what I set up for 2026:
Workouts
Consistent but gentle:
Pilates twice a week
Strength training on alternate days
A weekly walk outside as weather allows
It’s not about performance. It’s about movement that feels like nourishment.
Meal Planning
I plan meals that:
feel easy
use repeat staples
leave space for spontaneity
support energy and mood during winter
I start with:
warm breakfasts
batch-friendly lunches
simple dinners
Planning ahead means my future self gets fed — literally and emotionally.
Habit Tracking
I don’t track everything. I track what matters:
✔ hydration
✔ morning light exposure
✔ journaling time
✔ movement minutes
✔ bedtime routine
Consistency is the theme — not pressure.
Manifestation as a Practice — Not a Promise
Manifestation gets a lot of mixed messages online. In my experience, it works best when grounded, intentional, and paired with action.
A recent book I borrowed from the library, How to Manifest by Gill Thackray, provided a formula for manifesting:
✨ Manifestation = vision + intention + mindset + action
A vision board is one tool — it visualizes your visions and intentions and influences your daily choices.
But a journal, routines, and real-world habits are the actions that embody those intentions.
It’s not magic. It’s a mindset shift. It’s alignment.
Softly Stepping Into 2026
If I’ve learned one thing from this year, it’s this:
You don’t have to leap into the new year at full speed.
You just have to open the door and walk through it intentionally.
I hope this post (and the video) gives you a sense of calm direction, not pressure.
If you want to plan along with me — whether through journaling, vision boards, routines, or morning rituals — you’re always welcome here.
