A Simple Intention-Setting Practice for the Year Ahead

How to create a yearly motto

At the end of each year, I choose a motto for myself that I want to use as a compass for the year ahead. It’s a phrase I’ll repeat to myself when I’m stuck or I need help remembering what’s important to me.

Art I created for my 2023 motto.

Since having a yearly motto, I’ve found myself more focused and honestly happier (although last year’s motto backfired as I wrote in my post last week).

Here are some of my recent yearly mottos:

2021: Trust the soup

2022: Self-compassion

2023: Be Present and Enjoy Yourself

2024: What Feels Right?

2025: All In

My motto for 2026

Make It Easy, Make It Fun.

I tend to overcomplicate and customize everything I do. I know that I need to bring more ease and systems into my life to simplify things, which is why I chose “Make It Easy” as part of my motto. I also tend to be too focused on the end goal or doing something the “right” way, so I often need the reminder to have a bit of fun. I combined these aspects into, “Make It Easy, Make It Fun,” which I think has a nice ring to it.

It’s also a concept I’ve noticed helps artists and writers to make more work. When you make something easy and fun for yourself, you’re more likely to keep doing it and grow along the way too.

How to create a yearly motto of your own:

1. Brainstorm what emotion you’d like to bring more into your life

Write down a list of feelings or intentions that you’d like more of in your life. This isn’t the place for a concrete professional goal, but instead a feeling. For example, when I wanted to bring more self-compassion into my life, my motto was simply “Self-compassion.” When I wanted to trust my intuition more, my motto was “What Feels Right.”

2. Choose a short and simple phrase that you can use as your motto

Make a list on paper, or in your head, of a short phrases that could capture your emotional goal for the year. Sometimes I pick a motto, play it around in my head for a few days, and then if it doesn’t quite fit, I look for another that better captures the feeling I’m looking for. Now that I’ve done this for a few years, I keep an ear out for phrases I like which is how I came up with “Be present and enjoy yourself,” after hearing it on a podcast.

3. Write your phrase out

An important part of actually remembering the motto is to write it out and (if you want) to add some art to it too. Adding art helps me better capture the emotion of the motto. As an example, for “Make It Easy, Make It Fun,” I put the text within the flow of water since I want to be going with the flow more, and creating less obstacles for myself.

4. Hang your motto on the wall near where you’ll see it frequently.

If I don’t hang up my motto somewhere I’ll see it regularly, I’ll simply forget about the intention. I hang mine in my studio above my desk, but you could put your’s on your refrigerator, over your bureau, or as your phone’s background—wherever it will help keep it top of mind.

5. Share it with friends or family (Optional)

I like to share my motto here on Substack and also with friends. Repeating it and articulating the motto helps cement the intention. Also, friends can help keep you accountable. For instance, I told my friend Susannah Hainley about my motto, “Make It easy, Make It fun,” and she kindly reminded me of it when I was overcomplicating something (as I tend to do!)

If you do create your own motto, please tag me here on Substack or on Instagram @WoodmanMaynard. I’d love to hear what you come up with!

Let me know in the comments: What sort of year end rituals or intention setting do you do?

If you’re interested in finding guidance and direction with your comics or graphic novel projects, there are a few ways I work with creators:

1. One-on-One Coaching: A deeply customized partnership to support your growth, your comics, and your confidence as an artist. I’m currently offering $50 off/month with my monthly coaching. Learn more here.

2. Mentoring Group: Through Sequential Artists Workshop, I lead an every-other-week small group of comic artists with lots of support and encouragement, structured accountability, and comic-specific feedback. Learn more here. ($100-$180/month, sliding scale)

3. Webinar - How to Publish Your Comics: Strategies for Graphic Novel and Editorial Publishing: A recording of the popular webinar Susannah Hainley and I gave where we shared the ins and outs of comics publishing. Available here ($45)

Leif Love

When Leif snuggles up in his bed like this, I call him “Little Bo Leif.” My spouse calls him “Emperor Palpatine.” Which of us is right?

Take care and keep creating!

—Katharine