Learning to turn your focus toward what’s beautiful doesn’t mean we ignore what’s ugly. Yet in a world that craves peace, one of the best things we can do is find peace in our own minds and bodies first.

2025 showed us, again, just how much the world needs our best selves to show up. The world is counting on us to do so. We express our best selves when we find harmony in our own experiences. When we are constantly acting out life from an extreme stress response, we create more chaos.

So in 2026, I humbly suggest that we all keep checking in with ourselves. To notice the quality of our thoughts. To notice where we’re holding tension in the body. To let go when we can. To go ahead and start right now.

Unclench your jaw.

Relax your tongue.

Pull your shoulders away from your ears.

Yawn or sigh or hum.

Roll your neck. To the left (to the left); to the right (to the right). Now, dip baby, dip.

If a feeling feels stuck – physically, emotionally – shake it off. Literally. Bounce up and down. Swing your arms. Slide. Shimmy. Break into the Roger Rabbit in your kitchen while listening to Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Finally learn to twerk.

Walk in the cold with your hat off and let the wind blow away the residue of anxious thoughts.

Ask someone for help. Let them help you, not because you need it but because they need to help.

Breathe a little bit deeper.

If you still feel stuck, cry. If you can’t cry, scream. Cars are practically soundproof so long as your favorite song is turned up loud enough.

Keep your eyes peeled for moments that make you think, “I didn’t hate that.”

Let anomalies catch your attention. Let the anomalies that feel right and good and holy keep your attention. Savor them. Let the anomalies that feel like nonsense inform you and your next action, then allow them to float away, like big, puffy clouds coasting by your office window on a warm spring day.

Above all, remember:

You’re here for a reason. I’ll repeat that. You’re here for a reason.

You’re here for a season. I’ll repeat this, too.

You’re here for a season.

Ask why, and answers will come. Be open to how they show up, be it through knocks on your front door, parking lot run-ins, or in lyrics in a song. Go Beyond where you thought you could – challenge yourself to do the thing, say the thing, lift the thing, jump the thing. The highest version of your self knows how brave you are — and trust me, the highest version of your self will not shut up about the things that are right and good and holy (and typically super scary, until you actually do the thing).

Spend more time IRL. Lift heavy weights. Put them back down. Make something with your hands. Smile at strange people.

And for God’s sake, logthefuckoff.

Happy New Year – may 2026 be the year we turn our heads toward what’s real and let love abound.

Choices

2026 🥂

How do you catch an elephant?