The stage is set, and the new year is always the star. We’ll kiss 2025 goodbye tomorrow night, we’ll toast 2026.
But it’s also true that the passing of the year means the clocks―all our clocks are ticking. That always reminds me of Marcus Aurelius’ famous words, “Memento mori,” reminding us that we’re mortal.
And none of us have managed to figure out how to get a single day younger.
So, before we make our resolutions about what we want to do in 2026, let’s make a resolution to think, and seriously.
What do we want out of our lives, and how do we want to spend the rest of them?
What does that look like? What does it feel like, to each of us, personally, as individuals?
What do we really want to do? Where (take “where” in whatever sense it strikes you) do we want to be? And―crucially―with whom?
Because if we really focus on what and where we want our lives to be, and what steps it will take to get ourselves there, we can probably make it all happen for ourselves.
Remember, we’re not only the star of our life, but we’re also the director!
Once we’ve determined what steps will get us to our goal, we can make resolutions, meaningfully, mindfully, to take them. Maybe not all of them are achievable in 365 days, but we can end the year closer to our goals, and advance further in 2027 and beyond, if necessary.
Let’s take stock of what matters most to us (and our goals are as individual, as unique, as each of us is).
Where, how, with whom, doing what, do we want to spend the rest of our limited time on this earth?
How do we get to the point where we can say, with truth, “I did what I could with what I was given to work with?”
And to the point where we can each say, with truth, “I love my life!”
We can make sure that work is worthy of our time, our focus, our efforts and energy.
We can nurture our passions―we are drawn to do things for a reason, and I think we should respect that, even if the reason isn’t something we can easily decipher.
If we have a strong desire to paint pictures, to write books, study an obscure subject, travel, let’s do that, honoring every part of ourselves.
But let’s approach it all, work and play, vocations and avocations, family lives, friendships―mindfully, intentionally, so that no year of our lives fritters itself away and leaves us no closer to our ultimate goals.
In other words, let’s, all of us, make 2026 a year we made as meaningful as we are able to.
Please click here to email me directly – I’d love to know your goals, your thoughts, and your plans.
Until next time―peace, happiness, prosperity, and fulfillment in 2026,
Eric
