Start Now, Start Small: Preparing for a Simpler New Year

As the year winds down, it’s time to reflect on what the New Year will bring. Discover how to start your preparations with small, manageable steps that bring peace and intention—not pressure. Learn how to cultivate gratitude, set gentle goals, and embrace kindness toward yourself as you prepare for a simpler, more meaningful year ahead.

Transcript

Episode 187 - Start Now, Start Small: Preparing for a Simpler New Year

Welcome back to Living a Simple Life with a Back Porch View. I’m so glad you’ve joined me again. I hope you’ve got a warm drink in hand and a cozy spot to settle in, because today is a time for reflection. I want to talk about something close to my heart as we begin to edge toward the end of the year: how to start now, start small, and prepare for a simpler New Year.

If you’re anything like me, the end of the year can feel like a mixed bag. There’s excitement and hope for what’s to come, but also a bit of overwhelm and maybe even some doubt. We start to think about resolutions, goals, and fresh beginnings—and that can be a little intimidating. Especially if you’re someone who loves the simple life. Because sometimes, in the rush to “improve” or “grow,” we forget that simplicity is really about peace and presence—not pressure.

So today, I want to invite you to think about your New Year not as a time to overhaul everything, but as a chance to gently take the next small step in the direction of a life that feels good, grounded, and deeply yours.

You see, big changes don’t have to start with big plans. Sometimes the most meaningful growth begins with just one small habit, one quiet intention, or one tiny shift. And that’s what I want to encourage you to consider today.

Let me tell you a little story. One year, as the calendar was winding down, I found myself feeling overwhelmed by all the things I thought I should do to prepare for the New Year. Organize this, plan that, set goals, make lists, start new routines. It was all starting to feel like just… too much.

So instead of pushing harder, I decided to slow down. I took a deep breath and asked myself a very simple question: “What’s one small thing I can do today that will bring me a little more peace or clarity?”

That day, I didn’t clean out my entire closet or make a detailed goal sheet. I simply sat with a cup of tea and wrote down three things I was grateful for in the past year. That’s it.

It was a small act, but it shifted something in me. It reminded me that starting small is not only okay—it’s powerful. Because those small moments add up. And they create a foundation for the bigger changes that feel right when the time is right.

So maybe that’s where you are right now, too. Maybe you’re feeling the pull to prepare for the year ahead, but you’re not sure where to start. And that’s perfectly fine. You don’t need to have it all figured out.

Start with the small things.

Maybe it’s making a list of what’s already working well in your life. What routines bring you joy? What habits give you peace? What people and places nourish your soul?

Start there. Write it down. Celebrate it.

Because sometimes, we spend so much time trying to fix what feels wrong that we forget to appreciate what’s already right.

From that place of gratitude and clarity, the next steps will come more naturally.

Maybe next, you want to think about what you’d like to invite more of in your life. More calm? More creativity? More time outside? More connection with loved ones?

Again, there’s no need for big action plans. Just gently ask yourself what your heart longs for. Listen quietly. And if you feel led, write those desires down, too.

Once you’ve named what you want more of, then comes the joy of imagining small ways to make space for it.

Maybe it’s putting a reminder on your calendar to take a 10-minute walk three times a week. Maybe it’s setting aside one evening a week to read or knit or cook without distraction. Maybe it’s simply lighting a candle and sitting quietly for five minutes at the end of the day.

These tiny steps are the building blocks of a simpler, more intentional life.

I want to encourage you not to get caught up in “all or nothing” thinking. You don’t need to revolutionize your entire life overnight. In fact, trying to do too much at once often leads to burnout and disappointment.

Instead, think of your simple life as a garden. You don’t plant every seed on the same day. You plant one seed, nurture it, watch it grow, and then plant another when the time feels right.

The same goes for your goals.

Start one small habit or practice. Water it with patience and grace. And when you’re ready, plant the next.

One thing that helps me in this process is to keep a little journal or notebook just for these thoughts. Not a place for pressure or hard deadlines, but a safe space for dreams, ideas, prayers, and reflections.

In the quiet moments, I jot down what’s working, what I want to try, and how I’m feeling.

It’s a way of staying connected to my heart and the gentle guidance I believe God gives us when we slow down and listen.

If you don’t have a journal yet, maybe consider starting one. It doesn’t have to be fancy—just a simple notebook or even a folder in your phone where you keep notes.

Now, I know the holidays can feel busy, noisy, and full of obligations. That’s why starting small right now is so helpful.

You don’t have to wait for January 1st. You can take a tiny step toward simplicity today.

Maybe it’s clearing off your kitchen table so it’s ready for a simple family meal. Maybe it’s making a list of favorite easy recipes you want to cook more often next year. Maybe it’s reaching out to a friend you want to spend more time with.

All of these little acts create space for peace and intention.

They remind you that your simple life isn’t about perfection—it’s about presence.

One more thing I want to share with you is the importance of kindness—to yourself.

Sometimes, when we think about change, we can be hard on ourselves. We think, “I should have started earlier,” or “I’m not doing enough,” or “I’ll never be able to keep this up.”

I want you to know those thoughts are normal, but they’re not the truth.

You are enough, just as you are.

Your journey toward simplicity is not a race or a test. It’s a gentle unfolding.

And each small step you take—no matter how tiny—is meaningful.

As you prepare for the New Year, give yourself permission to move at your own pace.

Listen to your heart.

Honor your limits.

Celebrate your progress, not just your goals.

I like to remember Philippians 4:6-7, where Paul reminds us not to be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, to present our requests to God.

And then he promises a peace that surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts and minds.

That peace is what I want for you this coming year. A peace that holds you steady as you grow, change, and take those small steps forward.

So, friend, as we wrap up today’s visit, I want to leave you with a little challenge.

Find one small thing you can do today—right now—to begin preparing for a simpler, more intentional New Year.

It might be writing down a few hopes or dreams. Or tidying a corner of your home. Or sending a kind note to someone you love.

Whatever it is, do it with joy and grace.

Remember, you don’t have to do it all. You just have to do the next small thing.

Thank you so much for spending this time with me. I hope this episode has encouraged you to start now, start small, and trust that the simple life you love is the perfect foundation for whatever comes next.

If you’ve enjoyed our conversation today, I’d be so grateful if you’d share this episode with a friend, leave a review, or support the show. Just click the Buy Me A Coffee button. That will help me to keep these podcasts going, and hopefully help others find encouragement for their own journey.

Until next time, may your days be filled with peace, your steps be gentle, and your heart be full.