New beginnings aren’t about resolutions or pressure, they’re about curiosity. Explore who you’re becoming and take one small step toward your future self this week.
Welcome to this edition of the Weekly Compass, where we spend some time talking about a single value and look at how it can guide our everyday decisions and actions. If you’re not familiar with the format, please review the Weekly Compass Leader Guide to learn how to use this post as a discussion guide.
Our focus this week is New Beginnings. Together, we’ll explore what it really means to start fresh, but without the pressure, guilt, or unrealistic expectations that so often come with “turning over a new leaf.” Instead of chasing quick fixes or perfect plans, we’ll look at new beginnings as something much more human and accessible: the chance to grow through curiosity, reflection, and small, intentional steps forward.
This week isn’t about reinventing yourself overnight or fixing everything you think is broken. It’s about imagining the person you want to become and giving yourself permission to explore that future with patience and honesty. New beginnings don’t require a calendar reset or a dramatic announcement. They begin the moment you decide to try something new, think a little differently, or take one small step toward a life that better reflects your values.
If you’re ready, let’s dive in!
Key Objectives
Objectives for this discussion:
By the end of this discussion, participants should:
Understand New Beginnings as an ongoing mindset, not a once-a-year reset.
See how curiosity (not pressure or guilt) drives meaningful change.
Reflect on who they want to become, not just what they want to fix.
Take one small, intentional step toward their future self this week.
Why These Objectives Matter
At their core, these objectives are here to take a little pressure off. Most of us have been taught that change has to be dramatic, uncomfortable, and preferably announced to the world on January 1st. That’s a lot to put on a single date… and on ourselves. By reframing “new beginnings” as something arising from our natural curiosity, we give ourselves permission to grow without turning self-improvement into a personal performance review. You’re not failing because you didn’t “stick with it.” You’re learning because you’re paying attention.
Focusing on a future self instead of a list of fixes also changes the mood entirely. It’s the difference between saying, “I really should stop doing this,” and asking, “What would the version of me I’m working toward try next?” One feels like a lecture; the other feels like an invitation. These objectives matter because they help us approach change with imagination, patience, and a little kindness. Those qualities tend to work much better than guilt, shame, or a color-coded spreadsheet that you’ve abandoned before February arrives.
Opening Reflection
Paragraph 1: We often talk about “new beginnings” as if they only happen at certain times; on January 1st, on a birthday, or after something big changes. But the truth is, new beginnings are available to us all the time. Every day gives us another chance to try again, to think differently, or to take a small step in a new direction.
Paragraph 2 (Option 1; Child-Friendly): New beginnings often show up as trying something new, like learning a new skill, making a new friend, or finding a better way to handle a problem. Curiosity helps us grow because it reminds us that we don’t have to get everything right the first time. We just have to be willing to keep trying and keep learning.
Paragraph 2 (Option 2; Adult-Oriented): New beginnings are often framed as “fixing” ourselves: losing weight, being more productive, or breaking bad habits. But that mindset can turn growth into pressure. When we think instead about curiosity, and about exploring who we want to become, then we shift from self-criticism to self-discovery. The question isn’t “What’s wrong with me?” but rather “Who am I becoming, and what would that person try next?”
Paragraph 3: This is what makes new beginnings different from New Year’s resolutions. Resolutions often focus on outcomes and willpower. New beginnings focus on vision and curiosity. They invite us to imagine our future selves and to start moving in that direction, one small, intentional step at a time.
Discussion Questions
Brief Introduction to Read Aloud:
Before we jump into the questions, take a moment to remember that there are no “right” or “wrong” answers here. This isn’t a test, and nobody needs to have their life figured out before speaking. The goal of this conversation is simply to think out loud, listen to one another, and notice how differently we each experience new beginnings.
As we talk, try to answer honestly rather than impressively. You don’t need a perfect story or a big major breakthrough. Sometimes the most meaningful insights come from small moments and half-formed thoughts. Let curiosity lead the conversation, and let’s see what we can learn from one another.
Younger Children
Q1: What’s something new you’ve tried recently?
Q2: How did it feel to try something for the first time?
Q3: Who helps you feel brave when you start something new?
Teens/College Students
Q1: Why do you think so many New Year’s resolutions don’t last?
Q2: How does curiosity change the way we think about improving ourselves?
Q3: What is something new you’d like to explore, not because you “should,” but because you’re curious?
Adults/General Audience
Q1: When have you experienced a meaningful new beginning that didn’t happen at the start of a year?
Q2: How does focusing on your future self change your motivation?
Q3: What fears or expectations sometimes make starting over feel difficult?
Take Action!
Introduction to the Challenge:
Talking about values is important, but values only become real when we practice them. New beginnings don’t require dramatic changes or perfect plans. They begin with curiosity and small experiments.
Weekly Challenge (Child-Oriented):
Try one new thing this week. It can be something small, like introducing yourself to someone at school who you haven’t talked to before. Or you could try to do something you’ve wanted to do but have been afraid to do because you thought that you wouldn’t be good at it.
At the end of the week, talk about what you did and what you learned, even if it didn’t go perfectly.
Weekly Challenge (Adult-Oriented):
Take a few minutes to describe what your future self will be like one year from now.
How do they spend their time?
What do they value?
How do they show up for others?
Choose one small action that the future version of you would take and then do it this week.
Closing Thoughts
“Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning.”
– William Arthur Ward
New beginnings don’t start with discipline or pressure, they start with curiosity. When we allow ourselves to explore, to ask questions, and to imagine who we’re becoming, we give ourselves permission to grow without shame.
As you move through the coming week, remember: you don’t need a perfect plan or a fresh calendar page. You just need the willingness to take one curious step forward. That’s how “new beginnings” really begin!