New Year, Same You

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Small Steps Toward the Way You Want to Show Up in 2026

As we step into a new year, I want to offer a gentle reframe:

This doesn’t have to be a new you.

It can be the same you — becoming a little more intentional about how you choose to show up each day.

Every January, we’re surrounded by messages telling us to overhaul our lives. New habits. New routines. New everything. And while that energy can feel motivating for a moment, it often leads us straight into the familiar New Year’s resolution trap.

Here’s the truth (and science backs this up): as human beings, we have limited willpower.

When we try to change everything all at once, we burn through that reservoir quickly. What starts as enthusiasm often turns into exhaustion, frustration, and self-judgment by mid-January.

This year, let’s try something different.

Think Long-Term, Act Small

Real, meaningful change doesn’t come from going all-in for two weeks. It comes from small, intentional, sustainable steps taken over time.

So instead of asking, “What do I need to fix about myself right now?” I invite you to ask a much more powerful question:

At the end of 2026, what do I want to say I accomplished?

This is an exercise I’ve been sharing with people I coach, and I’d love to invite you to try it on too.

A 10–15 Minute Writing Experiment

Set aside just 10–15 minutes — that’s it. Grab a notebook or open a notes app, and imagine this scene:

It’s the holiday season at the end of 2026. You’re at a gathering with your closest friends.
Someone asks, “So… how was your year?”

Now write your answer as if it has already happened.

What are you joyously celebrating about 2026?

What happened this year?
What milestones did you reach?
What are you proud of?
How did you grow — personally, professionally, or emotionally?

This is not a to-do list. Not a resume. Not a dry recap of accomplishments.

Let it be fun. Colorful. Alive.

If it doesn’t light you up as you write it, keep going until it does.

Once you’re done, try taking it one step further:

Read it out loud.
Or record yourself on your phone, as if you’re actually telling your friends the story of your year.

Notice how it feels in your body. Does it call you forward? Does it feel meaningful? Energizing? True?

Then… Come Back to Today

After you’ve playfully brought your future vision to life, gently allow yourself to return to the reality of the present moment — to today, to tomorrow, to this next choice in front of you.

And here’s the key as you move forward: don’t expect yourself to change everything overnight. We must pace ourselves if we want change that actually lasts.

Real change happens in the small moments:

The snack you choose
Whether you go to the gym or give yourself rest
Staying up late or going to bed earlier
The way you speak to yourself after a long day

These small, everyday choices are what shape the bigger picture over time.

To make these choices, we have to learn to listen more deeply — and to allow ourselves to be called forward by our future vision rather than pulled by the comfort of the present moment.

Your vision should call you forward.

So, save the writing you did. Return to it. Let it remind you why you’re making different choices and what you’re ultimately working toward. And remember, you’re not going for overnight transformation — you’re going for incremental change.

As the saying goes: progress, not perfection, will get you there.

Because remember — willpower is limited. You don’t need more discipline. You need more kindness and consistency.

A Final Reminder

Life is challenging. Full stop.

So take it easy on yourself.

Be your own best friend (yes, even if that sounds cliché). Start with self-care. Practice self-kindness. Lead yourself with compassion.

Big change doesn’t come from forcing yourself to be someone else.

It comes from honoring who you already are — and taking one small, intentional step at a time.

Here’s to a grounded, meaningful start to 2026.

Cheering you on! — Coach Heather

Want to Share Your 2026 Vision?

If you try this exercise and feel excited about what you wrote, I’d love to hear about it.

You’re warmly invited to reply to this Huddle email and share your 2026 vision — only if it feels supportive and fun for you to do so. Sometimes naming it out loud is the first step in bringing it to life.

And if you’d like support turning that vision into steady, sustainable progress, I’d love to help. You can schedule a Coffee Chat with me, share your vision, and explore what kind of coaching support would best serve you this year — one small step at a time.

You don’t have to do this alone.