New Year, Same You?

As I was lying in my weekly yoga class yesterday my yoga teacher was talking about how we're still in the season of winter however we're being collectively asked to make big decisions and set in stone our 2026. Whilst the collective energy we feel around change can be compelling you are welcome to decide at any point during the year that you want to start something new, reset your goals or change a habit. Yes January 1st is a lovely fresh start on our calendar yet we don't need to start or end things on this arbitrary date.

If you're tapping into the energy to build new habits or achieve new things then these questions and ideas may be useful to you: remember this isn't about becoming someone completely different especially not overnight it's the compound effect of the small things we start, stop or continue which build to make the biggest difference.

As someone who used to start every January with the goal of running every day before work only to realise that I don't really like early mornings, the dark or the cold around January 10th I'm a big fan of doing the things that you want to do and are meaningful rather than following the herd and signing up to things because you "should". I always call these "me too" goals. This year I've made a 28 day commitment to not drink alcohol : partly because it plays havoc with my sleep and 28 days as I'm not wanting to do "dry January" and I also have a party on the 31st so want to see how I'm feeling for that!

Remember whatever noise you see online this is about how you feel, what you do and what works for you: we're all different so I hope you see this newsletter as something helpful for you whether you read it now or later on in the year.

A time for reflection & looking forward

If we're not chasing the new year, new you vibe what are we doing? I'm one for being intentional about what you want as well as listening to what you need. Whilst I don't recommend a full life reset on the 1st January I think tapping into your learning from the year before and considering what you want to continue, start and stop can be a great starting point. This often links into creating some kind of personal "vision" or visualisation which you can hold. (you can find out more about the power of this in my youtube video here)

Personally for me 2026 marks 10 years in business so it's already a reflective time as I think about what has worked and what hasn't so well over the last 10 years and consider how I can use these lessons. I'm not someone who can imagine that far into the future so I'm not here setting my 10 year goals instead I'm considering giving all that I now know how I want 2026 to pan out. The big thing that has come up for me is support both in the business and personally and I've got a new coach and a new supervisor to work with as well!

Whatever significance 2026 has for you going back to how you want to feel as well as what you want to achieve is something I recommend. My big goal personally is to get my house sorted : my home office is my first port of call and I've been reflecting on what will make it feel more inviting so invested in some new lighting and furniture as well as plants and incense. Over Christmas it was where all the presents were so it needed some love!

Intentional ways forward

James Clear says "every action is a vote for the person you want to become" and it's a mantra I remind myself frequently especially when I'm motivating myself to exercise when I'm feeling a bit tired or to write when I'm low on inspiration. What I love about this is it taps into who we want to become rather than just what we want to do. Again, I'm not talking about being a completely different person yet for me my daily exercise habit is about being healthy. As I close in on 50 and recognise that the past decade has gone incredibly quickly I realise that often these habits we continue doing have the biggest impact. Habits we can start any day of the week or month of the year.

Considering who you want to become can tap into that "new year" energy : think about how you'd love to describe yourself and what you habits or behaviours would support you. For example, I want to be seen as a writer: I've written two books yet I still struggle with this identity. My behaviour that I started a few months ago was to write something every day. Already I'm starting to see myself more through this lens. This isn't something which has happened on the 1st January instead it's something which is important to me and that I want to build on.

We can be comfortable and content with where we are yet want to develop and grow and this is really what I want to leave you with : rather than ditching your "old self" celebrate where you are and what you've achieved and consider what you want to build on.

If you're wanting a dose of inspiration and some science-backed techniques which do work I'd love to see you at our New Year coaching experience : it's a set of free workshops where we share Psychology-informed tools and techniques you can use personally and with clients to change the way you think, feel and act. The sessions are high on inspiration and tailored for you to take away your learning and take action: you can sign up to them here. https://www.optimuscoachacademy.com/coaching-experience-week-january-2026