Easing Into the New Year

Happy 2026! I hope that the start of the new year has been smooth and easy for you.

It's hard to wrap my head around the fact that we're out of the holiday season and people are easing back into work and their daily routine. As someone who is still freelancing, I marked 5th January as the start of "back to work", but have been taking my time to ease into the workflow process again.

2025 was such an exceptional year personally that I can't imagine what 2026 will bring. As I reflected on the past year with my annual tradition of filling out the Year Compass pages (it's free!), I was amazed by how many milestones were accomplished in a single year. From entering a new decade of my life to marrying my partner for life, it was certainly a year for the books. Perhaps the pandemic slowed things down so much that everything sort of sped up in equal measure.

Going into 2025, I knew the different chapters ahead of me, but 2026 is the complete opposite. I have no expectation on how this year is going to go, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. In many ways, it feels like a blank canvas waiting to be painted.

My life did change tremendously. I got married and moved halfway across the world to a new city that I've never lived in before.

When asked to describe the best moments in 2025, these are some memories that came to mind:

Moments I want to remember and hold:

• Jumping into the pool past midnight with my girls in Bali
• Having dinner at Las Carretas with the family and Sophia the day before she flies off
• Eating at The Bear Hug with everyone before our flight to NY
• Seeing Manhattan for the first time in a long time on the way from JFK to Jersey City
• Unpacking in our apartment
• Joining book club and feeling like my cup is full after each meeting
• Playing pinball in Vermont and having maple ice cream
• Walking to Ondo Coffee every morning of our trip in LA and having the best coffee
• Exploring Kingston with Mel and Marina

The word of the year for me in 2025 was elevate. This year, it's all about finding fulfillment.

I want to land the job that aligns with my passions and talents.

I want to connect deeper with my community here.

I want to dive into hobbies that bring me joy.

This is one of the reasons why I love doing the Year Compass, it allows me to think deeply about the things I want in life instead of running on autopilot. With the holiday season and winter in full swing, I have been feeling low on energy and motivation, which is understandable because winter is usually a time for rest and hibernation. However, doing this exercise over the span of two days gave me the little energy boost I needed to feel excited for the new year and everything that is to come.

It's also one the reasons I felt motivated enough to even write this post. I thought a 3 week break would have allowed me to recharge, but apparently I'm taking winter a lot harder than expected.

Oh well, this year is all about giving myself grace and listening to my body. I trust that I'll be able to do the things I need/want to do in time.

I hope that all of you are taking it easy during this transitional period and getting sufficient rest. The world is a lot to process lately, so it's essential to create spaces of reflection and peace to just be. Take care and don't forget to hydrate!