2026 deserves a more disciplined version of me.
Every December, most of us, if not nearly all of us, put together a list of goals/promises. We put together who we want to become, what we want to change, and how we hope the new year will somehow transform us. And now, with 2026 approaching, I’m ready to gather what I want to leave behind in 2025.Â
At the top of my list?Â
Self DoubtÂ
The voice that tells me I’m not ready, not capable, not enough. The voice that has held me back from opportunities I should’ve taken, conversations I should’ve had, and dreams I should’ve chased.
And connected to that…Â
Avoiding not doing things I’m not the best atÂ
Somewhere along the way, I stopped continuing doing things I felt I couldn’t do. I stopped trying, stopped practicing, stopped continuing things I actually care about, all because I’m scared of not being good enough on the first try. But that is a part of self-doubt that I’m letting go and plan to allow myself to learn, stumble, and grow without expecting perfection from day one.
Letting small things ruin my day
A comment, a tone, a misunderstanding, even the smallest inconvenience, I let tiny moments take over my whole day. One little thing would happen, and suddenly my mood was gone. I handed too much power to things that didn’t deserve it. But for the next year, I’m choosing to take my energy back. No more letting small moments spiral into big feelings. I’m learning to pause, breathe, and protect my peace.Â
ProcrastinatingÂ
The habit that feels comforting in the moment but always shows up later as stress, regret, or that late-night “why did I do this to myself?” panic.Â
Then there’s the hardest one… My need to control everythingÂ
One of the biggest lessons I’m taking with me into 2026 came from the book “The Let Them Theory” by Mel Robbins. It taught me that you can’t force people to treat you a certain way, stay in your life, or show up as you hoped. If someone wants to misunderstand you, leave you out, or not match your energy, let them. It’s not your job to chase people or convince them of your worth. What your job is is protecting your peace and letting life flow, rather than trying to control it. So in 2025, I’m leaving behind the constant unnecessary overthinking, forcing connections, and trying to keep people or things that don’t do any good for me. And along with all of that, I’m finally leaving behind not giving time to myself.
More time with myself is needed. As a first-year college student trying to figure out what I can, I’ve realized I need to give myself more time to myself. All those moments where I’ve pushed my needs to the side, skipped rest because I wanted to be available for everyone but me. In 2026, I’m choosing to pour into myself the same way I