Welcome to the new year! As we roll into 2026 I want to start by acknowledging that this time of year can be tricky. The messaging we receive in January is often all about new starts, resolutions, self-improvement, and becoming “the new you”.

I had a particularly challenging year last year. We had to say goodbye to both our cat and our dog after many months of an intense medication schedule. We also had a cancer diagnosis in the family, with an awful lot of uncertainty and treatment trials.

My resilience has been truly tested. But once again I have been reminded that resilience is a deep pool, and you only find out quite how deep by swimming in it.

While we are still adjusting to a pet-less home, and the ongoing uncertainty of cancer, I have entered the new year with a sense of resolve that whatever this new year brings, we will be able to do what we need to navigate our way through it.

Perhaps you've also had a challenging year, and while many of us may have had some time off work over the festive period, giving us an opportunity to rest and re-assess our lives, for a lot of people this season has been anything but restful. Financial pressure, “comparison-itis”, strained family relationships, and social exhaustion can leave our heads spinning come January. Combine that with the dark, cold, and wet of the season, and even the strongest resolve will be challenged!

So what can we do in January, when we might not be feeling our best?

I have two suggestions:

Lean into reflection.
Seek out tiny, incremental, improvements.

Leaning into reflection can take many forms, but the essence is to give yourself space to look at things as they stand. The key is to be honest and realistic about how things truly are. This can be tricky because we often naturally view things through a lens which expands or shrinks certain factors. Getting the core facts laid out, either in writing or verbally, can help.

Seeking out tiny, incremental, improvements. I mean tiny, absolutely tiny, and just one at a time. There's an awful lot of chat about maximising everything possible, but if you're hoping to make real sustainable change, you're unlikely to do so by over-loading yourself with too much at once.
Pick one tiny thing and aim to do that semi-consistently. Some examples might be:

Take your mug back into the kitchen after you've drunk your tea, rather than creating a mug graveyard on the desk.
Putting food packaging straight into the bin, rather than leaving it on the counter.
Practice pausing on an impulse purchase, and only coming back to it if you still want it the day after.