WELLBEING | 5 Gentle Ways to Ease Into The New Year

January 4, 2026 Shell Robshaw-Bryan

Health & Fitness, Homepage Feature, Wellbeing

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🕒 4-5 minute read

All too often, this time of year sees many of us determined to make sweeping changes. While some of those good intentions may stick, more often than not we try to do too much, too quickly, and end up feeling disheartened when we can’t sustain it all. This year, let’s try something different.

Instead of overhauling everything at once, let’s commit to just one gentle change, something that supports us rather than overwhelms us, and use it to ease ourselves into the new year.

Read on for five simple, achievable ideas to help you get started.

1. Get curious about nature

It’s easy to move through our days without really noticing the natural world around us. Even in familiar places, there’s so much we pass by without pausing to see.

Getting curious can begin close to home – learning the names of the trees that line your street, noticing the animals that dart through your local park, or observing which birds regularly visit your garden. These small moments of attention gently draw us back into the present, an effective way of grounding ourselves and regulating our nervous system.

Curiosity about the little things is a simple and effective feel-good practice, helping us feel more connected to the natural world. If your identification skills are a little rusty (or completely non-existent), there are plenty of free apps that can help you put names to what you notice.

Try Merlin, which is great for identifying birds, or Seek by iNaturalist which is perfect for identifying wildlife, plants and fungi.

2. Create a daily ritual

At first glance, the idea of a daily ritual can sound quite involved or even a little indulgent. In reality, a ritual can be as simple or as spacious as you need it to be.

If time feels limited, start small. Commit to just five or ten minutes a day that are intentional and non-negotiable, a pocket of time that belongs entirely to you. Some people find it helpful to choose a set time each day, while others prefer more flexibility.

Your ritual might involve ten minutes of gentle stretching when you get out of bed in the morning, instead of reaching for your phone. It could be making a brew and standing quietly at the window, watching the bids in the garden or observing the clouds.

What matters isn’t what you do, but the intention behind it. By carving out a small, consistent moment for yourself, you’re gently reminding your nervous system that you matter and that self care doesn’t have to be complicated to be meaningful.

3. Local nature walks

The aim here isn’t to clock up miles, chase big views, or tick another Wainwright off a list. It’s not about recording your fastest pace on Strava or searching for a hidden gem. Instead, it’s about walking for the simple pleasure of movement and reconnecting with the outside world.

A local nature walk can be as modest as a familiar footpath, a nearby park, or a quiet stretch of countryside close to home. What matters isn’t where you go, it’s being present whilst you walk there.

If it feels doable for you, commit to spending an hour outside once a week. If that feels like too much, start with just half an hour. Let the intention be presence rather than distance, noticing the feel of the air, the changing light, the sounds around you and giving yourself permission to simply be, without needing to achieve anything at all.

4. Mindfulness takes practice

Mindfulness may have had its moment in the spotlight a few years ago, particularly during lockdown, but it remains a simple and powerful way to gently shift how we experience our lives. While it’s spoken about less now, its value hasn’t diminished.

For some people, being fully present can feel challenging, especially where there’s unresolved stress or trauma, and that’s important to acknowledge. For others, even small moments of mindfulness can be quietly transformative, helping to soften our perspective and bring a greater sense of ease and contentment.

Starting a daily mindfulness practice doesn’t need to be complicated, time-consuming or costly and can be woven into the rhythm of everyday life. Rather than spending your morning commute caught up in traffic frustration, you might try using that time to take a few slow breaths, notice the world around you, or reflect on something you’re grateful for.

Gently checking in with yourself throughout the day can also be helpful. Try a simple body scan and ask, “How do I feel in my body right now?” and when you notice how you speak to yourself, whether in thought or out loud, aim for kindness. Soft, supportive self-talk is a practice in itself too, and one that grows stronger with time.

5. Start planning ahead to spring

Now is a wonderful time to look ahead to the welcome lift that brighter spring days bring. If you’re someone who enjoys having something to look forward to, gently planning a spring getaway can be a lovely way to carry yourself through the quieter months.

For families tied to school holidays, campsites and holiday parks often book up quickly for popular dates, so thinking ahead can help take the pressure off later in the year. A little planning now can create a sense of ease rather than urgency.

That said, try not to fall into the habit of living only for what’s next. Looking forward can be nourishing, but it’s important not to rely on future plans at the expense of the present moment.

This year, let’s release the urge to do everything at once, to overhaul our lives during the darkest, most demanding months of the year. Instead, meet yourself with kindness. Gentle steps, taken in season, are more than enough.

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Shell Robshaw-Bryan

Editor & Owner at Camping with Style

Shell loves all things travel and outdoors and is a nature-loving, comfy-camping kinda girl. Shell started the Camping with Style blog after a serious snowboarding accident which left her with a broken back. Despite this she used the outdoors and healing power of nature to aid her recovery and she continues to spend time outdoors whenever she can.

From open water swimming, snowboarding and kayaking to hill walks and meditation, Shell shares her travels and microadventures here on the blog and in various publications she's written for, Shell has a particular interest in promoting wellbeing and the many benefits of nature therapy.

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