A New Year of Nature Journaling

I've always enjoyed the New Year and the feeling of possibility that comes with it. People are hopeful in an innocent way and life is lived with a charming naivete that lasts until about February, when the monotony of daily life wins over once again.

I don't set a traditional New Year's resolution attached with goals, but I do ponder what my intentions are for the year ahead. 

This year, as I was sitting on a Mexican beach, watching lanterns gently float out over the water, I decided what intention I would set. A simple one; do more of the things I love. That statement sounds utterly uninspiring however when you apply that intention to an already full life of schedules and commitments, it becomes practically difficult to follow.

One of these things that I love and want to do more of is nature journaling. So, over the last week, I have been mentally creating a list of the things that prevent me from doing more of it. The things that prevent me from spending more time outside. And then with each item, coming up with a solution to that barrier. 

The next step is to plan. Using the four seasons to break the year up and create a framework that I can follow. These 3 month chunks include prompts that will be repeated for each season, like taking one weekend that season to devote to nature journaling with a small vacation or picking one object, like a tree, to paint each season to document its transformation. At the conclusion of each season, I will reflect on what that season brought for me, what I learned from the contemplative time spent outdoors. At the beginning of the next season, I will set intentions, taking cues from the theme of the upcoming season, like a mini New Year's resolution. 

Every year seems to pass so quickly, without much memory of the moments that they are made up of. I want something different for 2026. I want it to be a journey that I document and reflect on. Using nature journaling to document this journey is intuitive to me. So instead of just illustrating things I find in nature, I will also use my journal space to write what comes to mind. I think this will help me be more present, which really is what can help us slow down. 

I'm looking forward to this new phase of journaling. It feels more intentional, but also freeing. And, when 2027 rolls around, I'll have an intimate account at my past year for me to look at and remember all the moments that I would have forgotten. I wonder what memories I will get to make this year.