A No-Pressure New Year for Creatives

How are you feeling stepping into a brand-new year?

If you're anything like me, you’ve probably seen all the resolution trackers, goal planners, "new year, new you" content coming at you from every direction.

But let me tell you something I’ve learned the brave way:
You don’t need to exhaust yourself just because the calendar flipped.

A New Year That Starts With You

There’s something powerful about starting a new year from a place of wholeness-not reinvention.

I used to feel this weird pressure every January to “start over” completely. New goals. New routines. New energy. As if I had to scrap who I was and build a shinier version from scratch.

But the truth is?
I like who I am. I’ve worked hard for her.

You don’t need to become a new version of yourself just because the calendar flipped. You’ve already grown. You’ve changed. You’ve stretched through an entire year of lessons, creativity, connection, and becoming.

Misty of Creatively Misty working at her studio desk, adding hand-drawn details to a layered mixed media art journal page surrounded by paints, brushes, and creative tools. This quiet creative moment reflects intuitive mark-making, creative courage, and the joy of slowing down to explore art in progress.

My Brave Creative Ritual for January

Instead of wiping the slate clean, what if you carried your favorite parts of last year with you?
What if you began this season by checking in with your heart- not your to-do list?

That’s exactly what I do in January.

I don’t make a list of resolutions. I make a list of what I want more of- more creating, more connection, more sunlight, more stillness, more color. I update my dream (vision) board. I clear my space. I finish art journal pages I didn’t get to in December (not out of pressure, but because it feels good to wrap them up).

I start the year by making space, not making myself wrong.
That’s what it means to start the year with you.

mixed media art journal spread featuring hand-drawn florals layered over soft pink backgrounds, playful marks, and textured details. This vibrant page reflects creative courage, intuitive layering, and the joy of bold, expressive art-making.

More Of in 2026 — A Brave Creative Reflection

This isn’t a resolution list.
It’s a love note to yourself.
Use this page to name the things you want more of in your life this year—both big and small, creative and personal. There are no wrong answers—just intentions rooted in joy, curiosity, and connection.

Prompts

1. More creative play
   (What lights you up in the studio? What do you want to explore?)
   → e.g., more layering, more time with collage, more freedom to make “bad” art

2. More daily magic
   (Small, sensory joys you want more of in everyday life)
   → e.g., more morning sunlight, more fresh flowers, more art dates with myself

3. More connection
   (How do you want to feel more supported or surrounded this year?)
   → e.g., more time with creative friends, more sharing my art, more deep conversations

4. More ease + clarity
   (What would help you feel more aligned, grounded, or clear?)
   → e.g., more time unplugged, more rituals that slow me down, more creative structure

5. More of what you choose
   (Leave space for her to write in her own category)

   Ready to ditch the resolutions and do it your way?

   I made you a little gift to help you start your year with heart. Download this one-page reflection tool and begin 2026 with more of what truly matters to you.

Colorful ‘2026 I Want More’ word art sharing a personal list of intentions created as part of a New Year ritual. This annual practice reflects Misty’s focus on creativity, art journaling, connection, nature, gratitude, and joyful living—setting the tone for a brave, intentional year ahead.

Need Some Structure Without the Overwhelm?

If you’re feeling a little creatively scattered after the holidays (totally normal), here are a few brave, gentle ways to create clarity without pressure:

• Organize your art space in a way that excites you—not overwhelms you

• Pick one small project to finish instead of five big ones

• Choose a word or color of the month and explore it loosely through your journal

• Give yourself permission to do less, but with more heart

Let’s keep this conversation going

What’s one thing you want more of this year?
Drop a comment below—I’d love to hear what you’re calling in for 2026, creative-style.
And if you’re journaling or visioning, tag me on IG so I can cheer you on.

Want support stepping into your year creatively?

If this post has you nodding along and thinking “yes, this is the kind of start I need”—I’d love to invite you to explore my online mixed media workshops.

They’re available year-round and designed to help you reconnect with your creative voice, layer by layer. No pressure. No perfection. Just color, curiosity, and bold self-expression—at your own pace, in your own way.

💙 Click here to join an online workshop- let’s make this year your most creative one yet.

Hi, I’m Misty

Mixed media artist, creative guide, and passionate believer in the power of fearless self-expression. After years of playing small and settling for a life that didn’t feel like mine, I chose to rewrite my story through art — and I’ve never looked back.

Now, I help women just like you break free from perfectionism and self-doubt so you can reconnect with your creative voice and boldly explore what lights you up. Whether you’re picking up a paintbrush for the first time or returning to art after years away, my mission is to help you step bravely into your own magic — one joyful, messy layer at a time.

Let’s create a life (and art) you absolutely adore. 💙