In our last conversation, we took a gentle, generous inventory of 2025. We gathered our work, celebrated our milestones, and identified the lessons and energies that shaped our creative path. You now hold a deeply personal map of your artistic journey.

A map, however, isn’t just for remembering where you’ve been; its true power lies in helping you decide where you want to go next. So, let’s use that map not to set rigid, stressful resolutions, but to design an intentional and inspired 2026. This is about creating a framework that supports your growth and joy, not one that constricts it.

Step 1: Define Your Creative Compass

Before we plot any specific destinations, we need to find our true north. This is your guiding “why” for the year ahead. Look back at the answers from your 2025 review, especially the “Emotional Threads” and “Celebrated Milestones”.

• Did you feel most alive when exploring a specific theme, like connection or nature?
• Did the joy come from mastering a technique or from the freedom of playful experimentation?

From these reflections, distil a single, powerful Core Intention for 2026. This isn’t a goal, such as  “paint 20 canvases,” but a feeling or a focus. For example:

• “My intention for 2026 is Playful Exploration.”
• “My intention for 2026 is Confident Expression.”
• “My intention for 2026 is Deeper Connection through my art.”

Write this down. This is your compass. Every decision you make this year can be measured against it: “Does this opportunity/project/commitment align with my core intention of Playful Exploration?”

Step 2: Chart Your Course with Themed Quarters

The thought of planning an entire year can be overwhelming. Instead, let’s break it down into manageable, three-month chapters, or “quarters.” Assign a loose theme to each that supports your Core Intention.

• Q1 (Jan-Mar): The “Seedling” Quarter. Focus on germination. This could be dedicated to daily sketching, collecting inspiration, preparing surfaces, or taking a beginner’s course in a new medium you’ve been curious about. The pressure is off; it’s all about nurturing new ideas.
• Q2 (Apr-Jun): The “Growth” Quarter. Time to build. Perhaps you develop the best sketches from Q1 into larger pieces, or you start a small, cohesive series of three-five works based on your core intention.
• Q3 (Jul-Sep): The “Blooming” Quarter. This is about sharing and visibility. This could be the quarter in which you focus on applying to one local exhibition, updating your online shop, or hosting a small open studio for friends.
• Q4 (Oct-Dec): The “Harvest” Quarter. A time for reflection, completion, and celebration. Finish works-in-progress, create your annual inventory, and begin to gently reflect on what this year has given you.

These themes are a flexible guide, not a rigid schedule. They provide direction without suffocating spontaneity.

Step 3: Pack Your Toolkit

An intentional journey requires the right supplies. Based on your “Let Go” list and “Identified Learnings” from 2025, what practical tools do you need to support your 2026 plan?

• Skill Toolkit: Is there one specific skill that would make your process more joyful? (e.g., better photography, understanding colour theory). Plan to invest in one online workshop or a good book on the topic.
• Space Toolkit: How can you make your creative space more inviting? A simple clean-up, a new lighting setup, or organising your brushes can work wonders.
• Mindset Toolkit: Revisit your “Let Go” list. What daily or weekly practice can help you keep that weight from returning? Perhaps it’s a five-minute journaling habit or a rule to not compare your work on social media.

Step 4: Embrace the Detours

The most beautiful part of any journey is often the unexpected view you weren’t planning for. An intentional plan must have room for detours. Leave space in your quarterly themes for curiosity, for saying “yes” to an unexpected opportunity, or for abandoning a project that no longer serves your core intention.

Your plan is a servant to your creativity, not its master. You have the map and the compass. You know the general direction you want to travel. Now, trust yourself to navigate a year that is not only productive but truly fulfilling. Here’s to your most inspired year yet.

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