For many of us, the new year brings to light some things we want to change or do differently. Often times we set goals for productivity or our health. Usually these goals involve major changes, or adopting rigid lifestyles. What we don't always realize is the quiet hidden question beneath all the resolutions, "How do I actually want to live this year?" In an effort to do more of what we think we need, we end up creating a checklist that tells us how far behind we are. What if we just stopped doing that?
Instead of chasing perfection, let's try to chase presence. Turning our year into a collection of moments instead of milestones, small experiences that quietly turn into a meaningful life. No pressure, no hustle. Just intention, breathing room...and a game of bingo.
Below you will find 100 bingo square ideas involving slow living, food, creativity, family and relationships, and thoughtful work. You don't need to do them all. Simply choose the ones that feel welcoming, ones that make you think, "Yes I want more of that this year."
To make it easy, I included a downloadable bingo card for you to download, print and fill out with all the ideas you'd like to do this year. Give yourself permission to create a year that feels more like relief.
- Spend a full morning offline
- Declutter one small space (drawer, shelf, basket)
- Declutter your phone (emails, photos, screenshots, downloads)
- Plan one screen free family day
- Start a new family tradition
- Host a simple, low pressure gathering
- Cook a meal or bake something completely from scratch
- Create a seasonal ritual (summer nights, autumn mornings, winter candles)
- Watch the sunrise or sunset intentionally
- Have a picnic (even a simple one counts)
- Walk barefoot on grass or sand
- Visit a place that feels peaceful (trail, park, lake, garden)
- Spend one full hour outdoors
- Notice and name 5 signs of a new season
- Try a new tea or start a new cozy drink ritual
- Eat a meal slowly, without distractions
- Cook with one of your kids
- Work on a cozy hobby for an hour (embroidery, watercolor, puzzle, crafts)
- Create something with your hands (wood, paper, fabric, paint)
- Do something creative just because it feels good
- Have a long, meaningful conversation
- Send a handwritten note or card
- Reconnect with someone you've missed
- Host coffee or tea with a friend
- Do something kind without telling anyone
- Laugh until your stomach hurts
- Sit outside with no agenda
- Watch the weather change
- Notice something beautiful and write it down
- Spend a quiet morning at home
- Go to bed earlier than usual (on purpose)
- Take a slow nature walk (no distance goal)
- Visit a place nearby that you have never been to
- Eat a meal outdoors
- Plan a day around the weather
- Make a comfort meal you loved as a child
- Create a weekly food ritual (soup night, bread day)
- Try a seasonal recipe
- Eat by candlelight
- Say "this is enough" after a meal
- Spend time creating with documenting it
- Use "the good supplies"
- Make something imperfect and keep it anyway
- Work on a puzzle over several days
- Revisit a hobby you once loved
- Have an unhurried conversation
- Tell someone something you appreciate about them
- Choose patience in a hard moment
- End the day feel content, not productive (a difficult one for me)
- Do something thoughtful for your future self
- Let a day unfold without plans
- Create a daily rhythm (not a schedule)
- Say no to something unnecessary
- Spend a good part of your day not checking the time
- Live a full day at half speed
- Do one thing slowly, on purpose
- Make a meal using local or seasonal ingredients
- Paint or draw without a goal
- Read a book for fun
- Journal in the morning
- Write your own message in a birthday card
- Visit a library
- Limit media for one week
- Take a social media break
- Choose nourishing content
- Open all the windows and air out the house
- End the day with a sunset walk or sitting on a porch
- Tidy the house slowly with music on
- Walk to a nearby place instead of driving
- Visit a farmer's market
- Work on something creative near a window
- Plan a simple errand day with breaks
- Make soup on a rainy day
- End the day with gratitiude or prayer
- Write down thoughts you want to release
The point here isn't to complete your card, it's to notice that you lived. Some squares will get filled quickly and some may take longer or not at all. That's ok. This is just a gentler way of saying "These are the kind of moments I want my life filled with."
You may be surprised what you notice when you stop pushing and start paying more attention. It will be things that don't make it on your list of to dos or goals, but they will be the things you remember.
This is a sample of my card. If you would like to make your own, download and print here. Fill your squares with the ideas that feel natural to you and see how the year presents itself. There is no prize, no rush to win. Just a year full of moments to remember.
