I used to find New Year’s resolutions a bit performative. We’ve all seen it: the gym is a chaotic swarm of “new year, new me” energy in January, only to fall back into a quiet, familiar rhythm by Valentine’s Day. I think the reason most resolutions fail is that we try to change our behavior without first shifting our mindset.
True change isn’t a temporary sprint; it’s an integration. As James Clear discusses in Atomic Habits, behavior change only sticks when it becomes part of your identity. You don’t just do yoga; you become a person who values mindful movement.
As we turn the Wheel of the Year, we find ourselves in the deep quiet of winter—a season for going inward. This is the natural time for meditation and contemplation. Instead of one rigid resolution, I am envisioning how I want to be in the coming year. I am looking for a vision of myself that is more kind, frugal, and gentle.
Minimalism, Making, and the Corporate Shadow
This year, my focus is shifting toward sustainability and frugality. My journey with skin care has taught me that simple is often better. While I’ve stopped making products for sale to focus on my writing and eBooks, I am still a maker at heart.
I’m moving away from the “buy more” culture. I’ve realized that for much of my life, I’ve struggled with body dysmorphia fueled by a constant stream of ads and pressures stemming from the Southern California culture. How I looked was a performance of someone I was trying to be. Underneath that, the idea that by myself I am not good enough. I felt I was lacking without this or that beauty product or clothing item. No more. I’ve spent enough on beauty products and fast fashion; that energy is better spent on experiences or investing in my future.
My background in graduate studies regarding corporate power, combined with my punk rock roots, has left me with a healthy distrust of corporate greed. While I can’t fully opt out of the system, I can minimize its footprint on my life.
My 2026 Sustainability Plan:
- DIY Beauty: I’ll be formulating my own body lotions, scrubs, butters, soaps, and crafting my own blushes and lip products. There are certain things I don’t feel comfortable making, as they haven’t worked for me in the past due to my sensitive skin and eyes.
- The “No-New-Clothes” Challenge: If I need something, it will be secondhand. I’m also dreaming of upcycling thrift store finds or sewing my own pieces.
- Digital Detox: To avoid the relentless “you aren’t enough” messaging of ads, I’m drastically reducing my time on social media. I’m finding so much inspiration in the No-Makeup Movement—reminding myself that makeup should be a tool for transformation and art, not a mask for insecurity.
Listening to the Body: The Art of Resting
Last year was a lesson in humility. Between a stubborn lower back injury that halted my weightlifting and the arthritis in my hands, my body has been speaking loudly. As an overachiever, “rest” has always felt like a four-letter word.
This year, my mindfulness practice is about listening. I am easing back into my practice with gentle Yoga and Qi Gong, respecting my back’s boundaries. I’ve had to accept a new pace: one project per day. Whether it’s jewelry making, sewing, or formulating a new skin oil, I have to honor the limits of my hands.
It is a lesson in being “gentle.” We often think we need to conquer the year, but perhaps the real work is in learning how to inhabit ourselves with more grace.
What version of yourself are you envisioning as the Wheel turns toward 2026?
