January Bucket List: Ground yourself and set the intentions

There’s something magical at the beginning of the year. It is new and exciting. Anything is possible. January is the time to both dream away and ground yourself, feeling that you are in the right place on your path.

Natural living bucket list for January, with the task to help lay the groundwork for the new year.

I have gathered for you natural lifestyle inspiration in seasonal bucket lists that I am publishing monthly. You can join the email list below to get them in your inbox when they are published, or read here the ones that have already been published:

A sketch of a checklist to invite you to make the inventory and declutter your home in January for the Natural Living Bucket List task.

Make the ground work for a better year

The beginning of the year has an amazing natural power for decluttering the home. The mental place is to refresh the home from old and give form and energy for the new year and new life.

Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t need to be a drastic change. Think of it more like a tweak or reset, a moment to inventory items you have at home. Figure out things that have had less of your attention to address them.

Use these to get started

Relax and welcome the new year

There’s just something so mind-stabilizing in sipping tea outside. Whether it is a plain, true tea or a homemade tea blend, sharing the steaming hot tea from the reusable cups is one of the winter pleasures. I love these enamel mugs to pack in the backpack for any hike.

A thermos bottle and encouragement to pack tea and enjoy it outdoors as a bucket list task for January.

A note pad for planning and setting the intentions for the new year, as a natural living bucket list task.

Pick the word of the year and plan ahead

Pick a word of the year. After you have chosen yours, it will guide you through the rest of the planning.

If you are my Natural Lifestyle Letters subscriber, I will be sending you the framework that I personally use for setting goals and keeping consistency in planning at the beginning of the year. I guide you through how I follow the plans made and check on the goals throughout the year.

After setting some goals, you will have so much more clarity to schedule out any other plans or tasks.

These might help you

Get grounded with nature

The winter air is extremely fresh, and the deep minus degrees will challenge breathing, which, as an asthmatic, I love and hate.

A brisk walk with the unexpected sun beams will wake up the calmness and belief in what is coming.

Choose a calm place, by the sea shore or in the winter forest, to feel grounded and to have some time to reflect on the past year and the new one.

A sketch of a beanie to encourage readers to make winter walks.

A decorative sketch of a snowflake with the encouragement of "go ice swimming."

Relax in extreme

While many studies highlight the benefits of cold plunges—such as boosting circulation (I’m currently researching this for a deeper post to share with you soon)—my biggest reason for recommending it is how it makes you feel.

Cold exposure has a unique way of sharpening the mind and creating a sense of lightness and relaxation that’s difficult to fully put into words.

The feeling after you get up from the icey water, and the air feels warm on your skin.

All you feel is serenity.

Let your mind wander

This is the time to let your mind wander. What would you like your herb garden to look like? Any new herbs that you would like to try out this cultivating season? Dig deep and find out the special needs of the plants and perfect sowing time to be ready when nature is.

I have already told you my love of tea books, but if you want to cultivate your own herbs for tea, this book is one of my favourites. If you want a more brief guidance of each plant plus the wild tea options AND recipes too, you will love this book even more.

Learn more about tea

Tea knowhow: All you need to know about tea

A sketch of a flourishing flower with the suggestion to dream of your garden as a natural living bucket list task.

A sketch of a hammer, a brush and a pencil to encourage being creative and "diy and repurpose" as the last task of the natural lifestyle bucket list.

Giving old items a new life

In January, there are still plenty of things to do indoors if the weather is not tempting. Repurposing items in your DIY projects is one benefit to give a purpose to things you didn’t think you needed anymore.

I sew old baby cloths into handkerchiefs that we use instead of paper towels around the house. It might be something as simple as a chocolate tin box into a vintage first aid kit box or a jam jar for a homemade lip balm. It doesn’t need to be anything more complicated.