2026—A Year of Slow Reset

A slower more intentional pace.

2026—Slow Forward Motion 

I am taking three  lessons from 2025 into 2026. First, I’ve realised that I’m not quite the spring chicken I used to be. Second, it’s important to clear my backlog before diving into new ventures. And third, having a somewhat reliable income is essential (… who would have thought that?).

Spring Chicken and Old Hens 

I’ve always prided myself on pushing through challenges, but at 55 I’ve come to accept that my pace has slowed, and my resilience isn’t what it once was. Little aches and pains—like adult ADHD, anxiety, RSS, joint, and nerve issues—are adding up. For 2026, I’ll focus on what’s feasible, leave the unlikely to younger minds and bodies, and study the impossible with a smile from a distance \(^-^)/. Over the past three years, I’ve developed habits around exercise (cardio, resistance, mobility), wellbeing, and anti-ageing routines like time-restricted eating. These might not work miracles, but they certainly can’t hurt, so I’ll keep them up and maybe even add a few more to get into better shape.

Clearing the Backlog

There’s something magical about starting a new year with a clean slate, like a fresh sunrise leaving the old behind. However, last year’s intentions left me with a mile-long backlog of tasks in the garden and house, along with a mountain of half-finished creative ideas and projects. 2026 will be the year I take inventory, clear some of that backlog, and build a habit of solving one small thing each day, celebrating it as a win (365 30-minute to one-hour tasks). I’ve created a work queue—Post-it notes on my door—with everything from fixing that pesky door handle to cleaning out the attic one box at a time. Today is January 21st, and I can already see some improvements \(^-^)/!

There are also larger projects on the horizon—the Wellington Art Show, an illustrated paperback edition for The House, audiobook editions for both The Fragments and The House, and, of course, Book Three. I’ve broken these into manageable chunks—four hours of art making a day, an audio chapter a day, laying out The House manuscript in Affinity Publisher chapter by chapter. This approach has worked well in January, and I’m hopeful I can keep it up …

Finding a Reliable Income

To be honest, I’m not quite ready to tackle this just yet. I’ll update my LinkedIn profile and skim job ads, but that’s about it. I can muddle through to March 2026 and then explore options … or something :).

A Vision for the Next Three Years

While I am cleaning my slate, I am looking forward to free up some mind space and cognitive energy to enjoy what I have now and think about where to next! 

\(^-^)/

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