January 2026 letter - new year, new you

For many of us, the new year means a new beginning. We make plans and New Year resolutions.

The best way to do this is to look back on the past year 2025, and focus on the achievements and successes of the past year. Those that have gone well and we want to take with us into the next year. There have most certainly also been challenges and difficulties during the past year, but they also have the potential to help us move forward on our path.

When we learn to honestly look at our own lives, the challenges and achievements, we can make the necessary changes that will help us move forward in 2026. We create our own reality, we already know that. So we take responsibility for our lives, instead of blaming other people or circumstances, or making ourselves a victim. When the responsibility is on us, our vision remains clear, we believe in our own possibilities much better and we can make the necessary changes.

The following steps can help:

1: Take an honest look at your past year

Recall your victories and the lessons you learned over the past year. What worked and what went wrong. The important thing is to learn the lessons so that you don’t repeat the same mistakes. It’s easier to write these down; your biggest achievements and also your mistakes. For each achievement, write down why it worked and went well, which helped you reach your goals. This way you can then repeat it.

Also write down the lesson you learned from each failure so that you can avoid the same mistakes in the future. Why it happened and how you can prevent it in the future.

Think especially about your own habits and behaviors. What served you this year? What didn’t?

What do you want to take with you into next year and what do you want to leave behind.

2: Set goals, objectives for this year

Choose at least one to three goals for different areas of life, such as health, fitness, home life, other personal life or work life. It is important to set goals that you really want, not just what you think is possible or what others expect from you.

Don’t worry if setting goals makes you feel a little uncomfortable. They say that a dream is not big enough if it is not even a little scary.

Then write down at least five reasons why these goals are important to you. These reasons are exactly what we need to motivate us when doubts creep in or when we face challenges. Then, when we are having a difficult time, you can repeat these reasons.

3: Make concrete plans

Make plans that you commit to implementing every day or week to achieve your goals.

These could be things like going to the gym or changing your diet. Once you have made your plans, you can even schedule them on your calendar if necessary, if it helps. The main thing is that you don't let that inner voice stop you from implementing your plans. That inner voice will come out when you start to move outside your usual comfort zone. The voice that tells you to start tomorrow, or to blame the weather, other people, or whatever. Be prepared for it.

4: Identify challenges

In addition to the previous one, find one thing for each of your goals that could potentially prevent you from achieving it. You can prepare for it in advance and think of ways to cope. Practice situations in your mind so that you are ready.

In addition to the previous ones, find out if someone else could help you achieve your goal. This other person can be a family member, a friend, or even a mentor who understands and respects your goals. It is often easier to go for a walk together, or arrange a gym session that you don't dare cancel. Many of us find it easier to keep promises we make to others if we can't keep promises to ourselves.

Finally:

When starting a new year, remember at least these three things:

•  Stick to your plans and work towards them every day, no excuses. You won't get any results or changes if you don't.

•  Secondly, find people who want the same goals as you. Join in groups discussions, share experiences, challenges and achievements. You will get good peer support and your experiences will help others. Also, follow people who inspire you or who have achieved similar goals or faced the same challenges as you. Read books or follow them in other ways. You will get good ideas that you can try in your own life.

• Finally and most importantly, understand that you have to change with the goal. New thoughts. New beliefs. New behaviors that are in line with the results you are achieving. The same habits, thoughts, and feelings always lead to the same results. Nothing changes if nothing changes, as the saying goes. If you want change, you have to change.