Local Wellness Experts Share How Small Mindset Shifts for the New Year Can Help Improve Your 2026
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January can feel like a clean white page, or a heavy blank one.
The calendar flips, the kids go back to school, social feeds fill with “new year, new me” posts, and suddenly it can seem like everyone else has a color-coded plan to eat better, work out more and become their best selves by February.
For many families, that pressure feels exhausting instead of inspiring. To explore how families can focus on mindset shifts for the new year, I spoke with two local professionals:
- Deborah Heurion, founder of SpiritEd Adventures, a Clark County program that weaves together horses, mindset coaching and intuitive education for adults and older teens. Heurion helps people identify and release old patterns and beliefs.
- Julia Anderson, a licensed mental health therapist and clinically trained social worker who has worked in child protective services, hospital emergency rooms and community mental health, and now also runs a private practice called Sway Positive.
Together, they offered a refreshing message: you don’t need a perfect resolution list to make this year better. You need awareness, small tools and a kinder way of talking to yourself and your kids.
“Sometimes life is hard, no matter how old you are,” says Heurion, speaking as we stood in her barn next to her horse Xena. “We set these big goals and then we don’t understand why they don’t stick. We get really down on ourselves and end up in the same place again.”
Why January Feels So Heavy (And It’s Not Just You) – Mindset Shifts for the New Year
Before we talk tips, Anderson says it’s important to normalize how this season actually feels, especially in the Pacific Northwest.
“In our area, there’s a big shift,” she explains. “It’s dark when you’re doing pick-ups and after-school activities. There’s the temperature drop, the rain, the time change. All of that impacts emotional well-being.”
Add in holiday stress, financial worries and sometimes tricky family dynamics, and it’s no wonder many adults and kids feel drained instead of energized.
Anderson encourages families to name this reality out loud:
- “This time of year is hard for a lot of people.”
- “It makes sense you’re more tired; the days are darker and our routine just changed again.”
When we normalize instead of shame, kids (and grown-ups) feel less like something is “wrong” with them and more like they’re experiencing a very human response to a big seasonal shift.
Step One: Just Breathe
If there’s one simple tool Heurion wants every family to carry into the new year, it’s this: take a breath.
“All we do at first is teach you that you can take a deep breath,” she says. “If you’re anxious, if you’re overexcited, if your kids are having a fit, teach them how to breathe.”
When we’re stressed, our thoughts race and our bodies tighten. A deep breath signals the nervous system to pause. That tiny pause creates just enough space to choose a response instead of exploding in a reaction.
Heurion suggests:
- When your child melts down in the grocery store
- When everyone is late and you’re trying to get out the door
- When you catch yourself thinking, “This year is already off the rails…”
…try this simple pattern: step back, breathe in deeply and slowly through your nose, breathe out slowly through your mouth and imagine letting go of anything that is not helpful in that moment.
“Breath is life and breath is calming,” she says. “It gives me a minute to realize: what do I want to do next? How do I want to respond to this instead of just reacting?”
Kids learn this best when they see parents doing it in real time:
“I’m feeling overwhelmed right now, so I’m going to take a couple of deep breaths before we talk.”
You’re not only calming yourself, you’re modeling a lifelong coping skill.
Shift Your Focus: What’s Working?
A lot of January energy is built around fixing what’s “wrong:” our schedule, our body, our habits. Heurion believes true mindset change starts somewhere else.
“Are you focusing on what’s working in your life,” she asks, “or on what’s not?”
She sees this pattern with parents all the time. A child brings home a math worksheet with ten problems correct and two wrong. Most of us immediately zero in on the mistakes:
“What happened here? You know this!”
Heurion suggests flipping that script:
- “Wow, you got eight problems right. That’s amazing. What do you think helped it go so well here?”
- Then, from that place of success, gently look at the tricky ones together.
“It’s not about pretending everything is perfect,” she says. “It’s about noticing what is working, because you’re going to get more of what you’re noticing more.”
When kids are having a hard moment, such as acting out in a store or arguing at home, try mentally listing three things you appreciate about them. You can even say one out loud:
“I know you’re upset right now, but I was just thinking about how kind you were to your brother last night. That really stood out to me.”
It doesn’t mean you ignore the challenging behavior. It means you anchor your relationship in their strengths, not just their struggles.
Lead by Example (Even When You’re Not Perfect) – Mindset Shifts for the New Year
“The best way our kids learn is by modeling,” Heurion says. “They watch everything.”
That includes how we talk about ourselves.
If children constantly hear us say things like, “I’m such a mess,” or “I never do anything right,” those beliefs sink in, for them and for us.
Instead, Heurion encourages parents to let kids see them:
- Acknowledge mistakes without self-attack
- “I forgot that appointment. I’m disappointed, but I’m learning to use my calendar better.”
- Celebrate small wins
- “I’m proud of myself for getting us out the door on time today.”
- Take care of their own needs
- “I’m going to sit and have a cup of tea before I start dinner, because I need a little recharge.”
“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change,” Heurion says, quoting author Wayne Dyer. That’s true of our children, and of ourselves.
Notice When Your Child Is Struggling
January can bring subtle signs that kids are having a harder time than usual. Anderson recommends watching for changes from their “normal,” rather than comparing them to other children.
For younger kids, clues might look like:
- More clinginess than usual
- Tears or emotional outbursts over small things
- Struggling with routines they used to manage well (getting dressed, brushing teeth, bedtime)
For older kids and teens, red flags can include:
- More isolation (staying in their room, avoiding family time)
- Big shifts in mood or irritability
- Not taking care of basic hygiene beyond the usual teen reminders
- Dropping activities they used to enjoy
If you’re seeing these changes, Anderson suggests a calm, non-judgmental approach:
“I’ve noticed mornings have been really hard lately, and you seem more upset than usual. This season can be tough. How can we make this easier together?”
Give kids some say in the solution:
- “Would it help to set your clothes out the night before?”
- “Would you like a quieter bedtime routine, or a little extra time with me before lights out?”
“Give them some autonomy to solve it for themselves,” Anderson says. “We do better if we have our own successful problem-solving experiences.”
Intentions, Not Resolutions – Mindset Shifts for the New Year
Both experts agree; you don’t need a long list of resolutions to have a meaningful year.
Anderson prefers intentional planning over vague resolutions that fizzle by February.
She teaches her clients to think of the brain like a powerful computer: it needs clear, specific instructions to take you where you want to go.
“If I say, ‘I’m going to start going to the gym,’ my brain doesn’t really register that,” she explains. “It’s not specific enough. It’s like clicking around a website without ever pressing ‘add to cart.’”
Instead, she recommends “coding” your brain with concrete details:
- When will you do it? (Day and time)
- Where will you do it? (Place or context)
- What needs to be ready ahead of time? (Packed bag, alarm set, shoes by the door)
- Who knows about this plan and can support you?
For parents and kids, that might look like:
- “Every Tuesday and Thursday after dinner, we’ll take a 15-minute family walk around the block, rain jackets ready by the door.”
- “On Sundays at 4 p.m., we set out clothes and backpacks for Monday together.”
- “This month, I’ll read one chapter of a book before bed instead of scrolling my phone. My child knows it’s ‘reading time’ for both of us.”
“The more specific the intention,” Anderson says, “the more your brain believes you and helps you follow through.”
Have a Coping Plan for Hard Situations – Mindset Shifts for the New Year
Holidays and the early new year can also bring challenging gatherings and situations, especially for families navigating trauma or strained relationships. Sometimes we push ourselves to attend every event, even when it leaves us emotionally drained.
Anderson encourages families to ask two key questions before saying yes:
- Is this supportive of the intentions I’ve set for myself and my family?
- Do I have a backup plan if it becomes too much?
A backup plan might include:
- Driving separately so you can leave early if needed
- Agreeing ahead of time how long you’ll stay
- Having a code word with your partner or child that means “I need a break”
- Setting up a quiet space (even if it’s just stepping outside) where you can breathe and reset
“Sometimes people force themselves to go places and be around people they don’t really want to be around,” Anderson says. “You’re allowed to protect your mental health and your family’s well-being.”
A New Year That Feels More Like You – Mindset Shifts for the New Year
Mindset work can sound big and abstract, but both Heurion and Anderson see it as very down-to-earth. It’s about helping families tune in to what’s happening inside, instead of just reacting to the noise outside.
Heurion sums it up this way:
“I want you to gain this understanding of who you really are, and what’s best for you and your kids. Not all the voices out here telling you what you should do, but that quieter voice inside. When you breathe and get quiet, you can hear it.”
You don’t have to transform your life by January 31. You don’t even need a “new you.”
Instead, you can step into the new year with a slightly softer voice in your head, a few more breaths and a mindset that says:
I’m allowed to grow at my own pace.
My kids are, too.
And that’s more than enough for this year.
To learn more about Sway Positive, visit swaypositive.com.
To learn more about SpiritEd Adventures or sign up for their upcoming Change Your Mindset, Change Your Year workshop happening on Jan. 24, visit them at spirited-adventures.com.
Read the January 2026 Full Issue
