Out & In 2026
My 2026 Operating Philosophy
I had a really reflective week after Christmas. We all want to grow, we all want to think we are evolving and better off as we grow older, so I came into this holiday season apprehensive, wrestling with the nagging thought in my head, whether who I am today is the same person I was at the end of last year.
Last December, was the beginning of an end of sorts for me. I had to restructure my life after realizing that stress and burn out was catching up to me, and my health.
2025 turned out vastly different than the year before. I lost 20lbs, I became a girl that loves fitness, I started making better food choices, I stopped drinking soda(!)
On the other hand, I failed in certain areas of life, and definitely did not hit my financial/business/relational/Substack goals. Surprisingly, I’m not mad at that.
2025 felt like a deep inhale, and a held breath. The steady calm that I needed before jumping into this next phase of life. I’m entering 2026 with clarity, and hope that I’ve laid the groundwork, and built the systems and the scaffolding to hold the life I want together.
This is also the first year in recent memory that I laid out my goals and vision board before December 31. Is this what adulting feels like? It’s amazing!
That said, I thought it’d be fun for this last article of the year, to share what I’m calling this the constitution of my life, based on the “In’s and Out’s” trend and I hope you can draw some inspiration from it.
2026 In’s / 2026 Operating Philosophy
How I Live
I choose rhythms over reactions.
I move my body daily to stay strong for the long road, not to chase a number.
I begin my mornings anchored, not plugged in.
I allow my days to be full without being frantic.
I protect my nervous system like it matters, because it does.
How I Work
My work must fit inside my life, not dominate it.
I build slowly, with integrity, and for longevity.
I value meaningful income over impressive income.
I say no to urgency that isn’t mine.
I measure success by sustainability, not output.
How I Mother
I parent for formation, not performance.
I prioritize presence, outdoor time, and real conversations.
I trust that consistency beats intensity.
I allow my children to grow at human speed.
How I Love
I pursue peace in my home without pretending.
I value shared rituals over constant fixing.
I choose steadiness over emotional drama.
I speak honestly without abandoning myself.
How I Practice Faith
I keep my faith private enough to be real.
I build devotion into my mornings and evenings.
I trust God in the ordinary.
I believe quiet obedience bears lasting fruit.
My North Star
I am building a life that can hold me, not impress others.
2026 Outs / What No Longer Belongs
1. Urgency That Isn’t Assigned to Me
Other people’s timelines
Internet pressure cycles (case in point, why is everyone rushing to take down their Christmas trees? I’m waiting till I’m good and ready :) )
Artificial “now or never” thinking
Hustle masquerading as faithfulness
If it requires panic, it’s not mine.
2. Performative Discipline
Overtraining to feel worthy
Restrictive eating as punishment
Proving toughness instead of building strength
Punishment disguised as consistency
My body is a partner, not a project.
3. Over-Explaining My Choices
I don’t need permission to live slower
I don’t need to justify my parenting rhythms
I don’t need to defend wanting peace
I don’t need consensus to choose alignment
Clarity removes the need for explanations.
4. Carrying the Emotional Weight of the Whole System
I am not responsible for:
managing everyone’s comfort
compensating for others’ inattention
holding everyone’s emotional tone
Shared life means shared responsibility.
5. Building for Applause Instead of Endurance
Creating content that drains me
Projects that don’t feed the core vision
Saying yes because it looks strategic
Visibility that costs me my peace
I am building for decades and longevity, not dopamine.
I guess if I’m locking in to anything, I want to lock in to a life where I’m not “doing less”, I’m doing what lasts.
Did any of these resonate with you? What are your goals and intentions for 2026?