Looking for meaningful New Year’s ideas? These simple practices use curiosity, values, and empathy to help you close the year with gratitude and begin locked in with intention.
New Year’s doesn’t have to be loud to be meaningful.
Sometimes the most powerful way to mark the moment is by slowing down — asking better questions, reconnecting with your values, and being present with the people you care for, including yourself.
As we close this year, we’re inviting you to begin the year again, rooted in curiosity, gratitude, and empathy.
A New Practice for the Year Ahead: Affirmations
Gratitude isn’t something we wait to feel.
It’s something we practice.
Starting January 1, we’re launching the Actually Curious Affirmations project. Starting with a weekly affirmations practice in January and continuing throughout the year.
To join in, sign up for our Instagram Broadcast Channels ( AC and Michael Tennant ), or sign up for the Affirmations Project email.
Every week, you’ll receive one short affirmation to help you noticing what’s already here with you.
Stay connected throughout the year with weekly affirmations and reflections via email and our IG feed.
Five Intentional Ways to Ring in the New Year
So we've got your start to the year covered.
We've also got your back for putting together an Actually Curious New Year's Eve celebration. Check out these five ideas for intentional ways to ring in the New Year.
1. Have an Intentional Conversation
Conversation shapes how we remember a moment.
Choose one or two thoughtful questions and let the night unfold naturally. You don’t need to get through a whole deck — one good question can shift the energy of a room.
If you’re traveling or don’t have a physical deck with you, download one of our free question sets and use what you have.
2. Revisit Your Values
Before setting goals, it helps to remember what actually matters.
Find a quiet space. Reflect on:
- What supported you this year
- What drained you
- What values you want to lead with next
You can use our valuesexercise.com tool to support. This can be done solo or with an accountability partner who can listen and discuss what your both uncover.
3. Begin an Empathy Practice Together
The new year is a powerful moment to begin a shared practice.
My book The Power of Empathy and journal Abundance are designed to be lived with — over days, weeks, and conversations. Many people turn them into a 30-day practice with a friend or small group.
The format matters less than the intention to show up honestly and take the guidedance to see what unfolds for you.
4. Gather With Empathy
Not every gathering needs to revolve around food or escape.
An empathy-themed gathering creates space for reflection, laughter, and connection without pressure. Our Gathering With Empathy mini-course includes a short video and workbook that make hosting simple and grounded.
It works just as well on New Year’s Eve as it does in the weeks that follow.
5. Grow Together at Work: Empathy + Innovation Session
The new year doesn’t only begin at home — it begins with how we work together.
If you’re leading a team, this is a powerful moment to pause before rushing into goals and execution. An empathy and innovation session creates space to reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and how you want to collaborate moving forward.
We’ve made our Empathy + Innovation training available as a free, self-guided experience you can use:
- With a leadership team
- As a kickoff for the year
- Or as a reset after the 2025 season
It’s designed to help teams:
- Listen more clearly
- Surface assumptions
- Build alignment before action
- Remove roadbloacks to innovation
Sometimes the most strategic thing you can do is slow down together and refocus.
A New Year's wish for you
However you’re spending the night, we hope you find a moment to pause. Curiosity doesn’t ask for perfection, only presence. And that’s a good way to begin anything new.
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