One Habit to Put Down Before the New Year

What I’m Letting Burn Before 2026...

As we move toward a new year, I’m noticing I’m less interested in what I want to add — and more interested in what I’m ready to put down. For a long time, the new year has been about building, striving, becoming. More clarity. More discipline. More goals. And while there’s nothing wrong with growth, this season feels different.

One of the biggest things I’m letting burn before 2026 is second-guessing myself.

Not the thoughtful kind of reflection — but the habit of revisiting decisions I’ve already made, quietly questioning my instincts, and softening my truth to make it easier to live with. It’s subtle. And it’s exhausting.

As a therapist, I understand where this pattern comes from. Second-guessing often grows out of people-pleasing, hyper-attunement, and the belief that keeping others comfortable will keep us safe. That understanding has helped me meet this part of myself with compassion.

But understanding something doesn’t mean I want to keep carrying it. What I’ve learned is this: when I second-guess myself, resentment follows.

Resentment toward choices I made without fully consenting to them.Resentment toward lives I compare mine to when I’m not honoring my own.Resentment that has nothing to do with anyone else — and everything to do with self-betrayal.

Letting go of second-guessing myself is how I choose to live more resentment-free. When my choices, boundaries, and behaviors are authentically mine, I don’t need to justify or explain them. I feel steadier, clearer, and more at home in my life.

I’m also learning that this kind of change doesn’t happen in isolation. Our nervous systems learn through relationship — through proximity to people who live with alignment, self-trust, and authenticity. Being around that kind of energy makes it easier to remember your own. It gives your body evidence that another way of being is possible.

That’s one of the reasons we’re creating an intentional space this winter for reflection, release, and intention-setting together.

Women’s Intention Setting & Vision Boarding Workshop

January 9, 2026 | 6:30–8:30 PM

This evening isn’t about pushing yourself into a new version of who you should be. It’s about slowing down long enough to hear yourself again — and letting your next chapter come from alignment instead of pressure. Learn more about the workshop here!

As we move toward a new year, my hope is that we spend less time forcing ourselves forward — and more time choosing what we no longer need to carry.