Archiving, Attuning & Refining: My New Year Rituals (and Why I Don’t Do Resolutions)
I’ve never been someone who believes in starting over on January 1st.
I’m much more interested in continuing, but with awareness.
For me, the New Year is a marker. A moment to pause, take inventory, and use the collective momentum to refine what I’m already doing. It’s less about reinvention and more about archiving where I’ve been, attuning to where I am, and refining where I’m going.
Honestly, my Virgo Moon absolutely purrs for this kind of ritual.
Lists, intention, refinement, and a beautiful container to hold it all.
This is what that looks like for me.
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1. Morning Frequency Before the World Enters
Most mornings, before I open my phone or step into anyone else’s energy, I listen to something that gently calibrates my mindset.
Sometimes it’s Abraham Hicks YouTubes, sometimes it’s an audiobook about wealth, mindset, or self-trust. I’m not listening for instructions. I’m listening to remember what frequency I want to live in.
It sets the tone before the day starts making suggestions.
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2. A New Journal & A New Calendar
I get a new journal and a new planner every year, and I always have.
I’ve kept physical journals and planners for nearly twenty years. They’re a living archive of my inner life. Ideas, plans, dreams, manifestations, frustrations, grievances. All of it. If you asked me what I was thinking or working through on a random day ten years ago, I could probably find it.
This year, I chose two pieces that feel very aligned with the energy I’m stepping into.
I picked a deep red leather planner from Smythson, with a gold clasp, engraved with my initials. It feels elegant, structured, and capable of holding a year. My plans, schedules, commitments, and the practical architecture of my life will live there.
Alongside it, I chose a chic leopard print Smythson notebook, also engraved with my initials. This one is for everything else. Dreams, ideas, manifestations, creative downloads, grievances, notes to self. The full inner landscape.
I always notice that what I’m drawn to subconsciously reflects the tone of the year ahead. And if something is beautiful, tactile, and inspiring, I’m far more likely to pick it up and actually use it.
Before anything exists in the world, it exists here written down in my books.
My Aurora Sage creations have always started in my journals, and every single idea I’ve ever tried to bring to fruition can be traced back to these pages. I’m feeling ready to get back into the studio with what’s been brewing for 2026.
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3. Pens That Make Me Want to Write
I’m very particular about pens.
I use blue ink Japanese pens exclusively, and I buy them in bulk. They write smoothly, feel incredible in the hand, and make writing feel like a pleasure instead of a task.
There’s also an interesting psychological note here. Studies around handwriting and memory suggest that writing by hand improves recall, and blue ink in particular is often associated with stronger memory retention because it stands out visually on the page and engages the brain differently than black ink.
Whether that’s fully scientific or partly placebo doesn’t matter to me. I believe it enough that it works. And honestly, when something feels good to use, you use it more. That’s the real magic.
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4. Intentional Record-Keeping
I don’t separate my life into neat categories.
My journals hold everything. Business ideas live next to emotional processing. Tarot insights live next to grocery lists. Dreams live next to grievances. That’s real life.
Keeping records helps me see patterns over time and trust myself more deeply.
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5. No Resolutions, Just Ongoing Refinement
I’m not into resolutions.
I already have an ongoing practice of refining my life daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. January just gives me a collective checkpoint to zoom out and be more intentional.
I look at:
• what’s working
• what feels forced
• what I’ve invested in but haven’t been using
• what actually supports my nervous system and body
It’s not about fixing myself. It’s about listening more honestly.
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6. Recommitting to My Beauty & Wellness Rituals
If I already own something that supports me, the New Year is when I recommit to using it more consistently.
I won’t list everything I do, because that would be excessive, but I’ll share a few tools I’ve invested in over the years that I genuinely swear by.
One is my red light panel from Joovv. I bought it a couple of years ago and use it religiously. This time of year is when I get very intentional about making sure it’s consistently in my weekly rhythm. It’s one of those investments that quietly supports energy, skin, and overall wellbeing when used consistently.
Another is my microcurrent device. I’ve been using the ZIIP for many, many years, and I truly swear by it. I recently upgraded to the newest version, which I was long overdue for. It’s one of those tools where consistency matters far more than novelty, and it’s absolutely earned its place in my routine.
And a third tool I’ve had in my rotation for a few years now is the LYMA Laser.
This is one of those investments that doesn’t do anything dramatic overnight, but really shows its value with consistent, long-term use. The technology is completely different from red light. It’s a cold, near-infrared laser designed to penetrate much deeper into the skin than LED devices, working at a cellular level to support collagen production, skin repair, and overall texture without heat or damage.
It’s honestly a fascinating piece of technology, and one I’m glad I have in my toolbox. I don’t use it with urgency or expectation, just as part of a long game approach to skin and wellness. Over time, it’s absolutely paid off, and I appreciate having something that feels genuinely progressive rather than gimmicky.
The New Year isn’t necessarily about buying more. It’s also about honoring and using what already supports you.
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7. Tarot as a Conversation With Myself
I always pull tarot at the beginning of the year.
My go to deck is completely classic and old-school. A traditional tarot deck that I feel bonded to at this point. It comes with me when I travel, lives nearby most of the time, and feels like a trusted language I can drop into easily.
I also love working with a more artistic, alchemical card deck (not a traditional tarot) that offers symbolic insight and intuitive guidance in a different way. It’s beautiful, evocative, and speaks more in imagery than structure.
Tarot for me isn’t about prediction. It’s about reflection. It helps me articulate what I already sense and gather insight without outsourcing my authority.
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8. Numerology & Collective Cycles
I like to look at my personal numerology for the year, the collective year energy, and the upcoming Chinese New Year.
I don’t make decisions based solely on these systems, but I like understanding the weather. Knowing the broader energetic backdrop helps me move with more awareness instead of pushing blindly forward.
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9. A Gentle Health Reset
Between my birthday, Thanksgiving, and the holidays, I definitely indulge more than usual. The New Year feels like a natural pause.
Not punishment. Not restriction.
Just slowing down, detoxing gently, and re-evaluating what my body actually wants right now. It’s less about goals and more about recalibration.
This is the time where I book the checkups, get my updated blood panels done, and access anything health wise I need to attend to.
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10. Checking In With Guides & Healers
If you work with astrologers, intuitive readers, or healers, the New Year is a beautiful time to touch base.
Even though the astrological New Year begins in March, January still carries collective momentum. There’s something powerful about aligning personal insight with shared energy.
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A Few Invitations I Love (Feel Free to Borrow)
• Choose a Word or Phrase for the Year
Not a resolution. Not a goal. A tone. A vibe.
Something that subtly guides how you move, decide, and show up. You don’t have to share it. You don’t have to explain it. It just has to feel true.
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• Keep a Living List
Instead of resolutions, I love a running list titled something like:
Things I’m Calling In / Refining This Year
It’s not static. You add to it. Revisit it. Edit it. Check in monthly, seasonally, or whenever you feel called. It’s not about checking boxes. It’s about staying in conversation with your life.
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• A Small Ritual I’m Loving
Lastly, I’d love to share a small ritual I’ve been loving lately which is my black sesame hojicha tea. I’ve been drinking hojicha in the mornings for a while now, but adding black sesame has made it feel especially grounding and nourishing this winter. I shared the full recipe on the blog if you’d like to try it yourself.
With that, I’m wishing you your most beautiful, creative, and well tended year yet.
May your days feel intentional, your rituals nourishing, and your ideas find good containers as you bring them into the world.
With love,
Stephanie