Mindset Moments
A Softer Way to Begin the Year: 7 Gentle Anchors for January (and beyond)
January has a reputation. One that I think isn't always helpful or what we truly need right now. It often feels all about...Fresh Starts, Big Goals, Reinvention.
As if you should wake up on the 1st feeling clear, motivated and glowing. Ready to launch yourself into the New Year like a human cannon ball.
For me, and I suspect many others....maybe you too...January should feel quieter than that. A little more tender. Especially if things feel a little foggy right now (not just from the New Year's Eve booze), a little uncertain....a little normal (after all it's just another day, in another month and another year).
So, if the idea of setting bold resolutions makes you want to crawl back under a blanket...don't be too harsh on yourself, don't allow the 'I'm failing at 2026 already' thoughts and feelings to start circulating inside. You're not behind. You’re human. |You're certainly not alone!
Instead of goals, what if we began the year with gentle anchors? Would that feel more encouraging?
Small areas of attention and intention that support you, without demanding a personality transplant.
I came across a simple framework recently, the 7 M’s. I loved how grounded it felt. Not a checklist. Not a challenge. Just seven places to notice, adjust and be a little more intentional as the year unfolds.
Let’s explore them...gently:
Before You Begin: Make This Your Own
Before we dive into the seven M’s, one important thing.
These aren’t instructions.
They’re not rules, targets, or a framework to “get right.”
Each M will land differently depending on where you are, what you’ve been carrying and what this season of your life actually needs from you.
For one person, Mindset might mean learning to challenge negative thoughts.
For another, it might simply mean being less cruel to themselves on a hard day.
Movement could be gentle stretching or a daily walk, or it could be permission to rest more, not less.
Mission might be a bold new direction… or a quiet decision to stop overcommitting.
So as you read, let your body and intuition lead.
Notice how you react to each M.
Notice which one sparks resistance, curiosity, or relief.
For each 'M' just ask:
What does this 'M' say to me?
What action would feel simple, doable and supportive right now for me?
OK, let's take a look at each of them:
Number 1: Mindset
How you speak to yourself when no one’s listening.This isn’t about “positive thinking” or manifesting a perfect year. It’s about noticing the tone of your inner voice.
Is it kind? Is it harsh? Is it tired?
A gentle intention:
Instead of trying to change your thoughts, try listening to them.
What do you notice? When are you hardest on yourself?Sometimes mindset work starts with one simple question:
“Would I speak to someone I love like this?”Number 2: Mornings
How you begin your day...not how productive you are.Mornings don’t need a miracle routine.
They just need a little time and space for more human being and perhaps less human doing.A gentle intention:
Ask yourself: What would make my mornings 5% calmer?
That might be no phone for 10 minutes.
Drinking water before coffee.
Stepping outside for a 10 minute walk.
Slow stretches and breathwork instead of rushing.
3 minutes of journaling.You’re not designing the perfect morning...just a kinder one.
Number 3: Money
Your relationship with money, not just your bank balance.January can trigger guilt, fear, or avoidance around money.
But clarity on what's sitting behind those triggers will help.A gentle intention:
Look, don’t judge.
Check in with your money with curiosity rather than criticism. Start with tracking what is coming in and what is going out. Sounds basic but doing this will help you to see where the money:~ Seems to leak away
~ Supports you
~ Causes stress
~ Buys true ease or joy
Awareness is already progress. Then you can make adjustments and decisions based on the facts in the clarity you have gained.Number 4: Movement
How your body wants to move...not how it “should.”This is not about punishment, calorie-burning, or earning rest. I know that your social media feed today and over the next month will already be full of endless posts about diets, exercise, body size and the perfect solutions.
A gentle intention:
Choose movement that feels like care, not correction.A walk. Stretching. Dancing in the kitchen.
Movement doesn't have to be punishing, gruelling or something you have to grit your teeth through. It can be grounding, regulating, even playful.Ask yourself:
What kind of movement would my body thank me for today?
Then just start with that and from there...who knows what other movement might start to feel invited into your body rather than forced upon you.Number 5: Meals
How you nourish yourself...physically and emotionally.January food messaging can be loud and very judgemental.
So let’s turn the volume down.A gentle intention:
Notice how food makes you feel...not how “good” or “bad” it is. And not just in the moment of eating it...the after feelings too.~What gives you sustained energy?
~What comforts you without a crash after?
~What feels grounding?This is about nourishment, not restriction.
Number 6: Mentors
Who influences how you think, grow , see what’s possible and be the best version of you.Mentors aren’t always formal.
They might be:~ A podcast host
~ An author
~ A friend
~ A colleague~ Someone whose quietly steadies you
A gentle intention:
Notice who you’re learning from...intentionally or not.Ask yourself:
Do these voices calm me or pressure me? Expand me or exhaust me?You’re allowed to choose who shapes your thinking.
Number 7: Mission
What matters to you...beneath the New Year noise.Mission doesn’t have to be grand, life or career defining. Time to turn down the 'Mission Impossible' theme tune and turn up 'Clair De Lune' for a gentler path to clarity and light.
It can be simple and seasonal.A gentle intention:
Ask yourself:
What feels meaningful to focus on right now?Not for the whole year.
Not forever.
Just for this next little chapter.Meaning often becomes clearer when we stop forcing it.
A Final Thought
You don’t need a master plan.
You don’t need to be “back on track.”
You don’t need to optimise your life by February.
You can let this year unfold, whilst anchored by small, compassionate intentions and choices.
Start where you are. Choose one simple action for each M that feels supportive.
And let that be enough for now.
As we embark on the journey that 2026 has to offer us, why not try acting on the words of Katherine Whitehorn...
“My only resolution for the new year is to be kinder to the person I see in the mirror," – Katherine Whitehorn
...and a little one from me..."Not clicking ‘add to basket’ is also a form of self-care and sometimes personal growth comes from closing the tab.” 😉
If this has stirred something...curiosity, relief, or a quiet “oh… that’s me”...you don’t have to figure it out alone.
I offer relaxed, no-pressure FREE intro calls where we talk about what’s feeling noisy, what’s feeling flat and what might help you move forward with more ease.
Hi I'm Zoë Schofield
Your dedicated Career, Life & Personal Development Coach.
Clarity + Courage for Crossroad Moments
I help people navigate career crossroads, life transitions and everything in between... through curiosity, clarity, confidence and perhaps a little humour too along the way!
I've been where you are; successful on paper but unsure what's next, perhaps pulled in too many directions and craving something more aligned. My coaching is practical, human and gently challenging. No pressure to have it all figured out, just real support to help you reconnect with what matters and take action from there.
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