2026 is just a few days away. Like every year, enterprising folks are frantically ticking things off their lists and have next year’s meticulous plans already in place. They’re the ones who exist to bring order to the chaos the likes of me add to the world. Their big ambitions are in stark contrast to our laid-back survival and often attempt to mock us for our lack of commitment. If only we cared! Honestly, life is hard enough without the additional responsibility.

Like Aamir Khan says in the song Papa Kehte Hain, “Maine apne liye kuch nahi socha. No really, I mean it!” 2026 could be a year of many possibilities and I don’t want to limit it within the restraints of my expectations. God’s plans are often better than ours. Last few years have taught me that drastic changes come about in life only when we make plenty of minor ones in how we conduct ourselves, every single day.

At a time when new challenges are waiting to overwhelm me at every turn, I want to distance myself from anything that threatens to disturb my equilibrium. My health and well-being by extension alter and affect my family’s too. Some immediate steps are crucial and I’ll consciously try to implement them for our overall wellness.

Deactivate

Visibility and showing up matters a lot for us content creators. It keeps us in the loop, helps in networking and allows us to lend support to our friends and colleagues. However, it can also distract us from our personal goals (Ask me!). In 2026, I aim to focus on writing, reading and blogging more. Social media will be active but just about. Digital detox will be frequent. Bye bye doomscrolling, hello long-form content!

Decelerate

All of us work at a certain pace. Some thrive with deadlines looming over while others abhor being rushed. Personally, I like to let my grey cells do their thing in peace. My work and engagements are planned around my kids’ schedules anyway. Instead of letting tasks pile up for later, I intend to wind them up, daily or weekly. That way I get dedicated time to spend on creative pursuits.

Declutter

Hoarding is the bane of every Indian lady, isn’t it? From fancy crockery that never sees the light of day to outfits that have long outlived their use, we store everything. Worse though is the clutter we accumulate in our minds. Holding on to detrimental thoughts and people is as useless as installing redundant apps on our phone. They take up precious space and are sure to clog our memory for anything worthy of our attention. Have tried this before, but 2026 will definitely see me implement it.

Deliberate

I’ve sometimes felt remorse for publishing half-baked posts on the blog to maintain timelines. Part laziness and part disillusionment, the writer in me frowned as the blogger struggled to keep the traffic coming. Going through my old posts reminded me that deliberation isn’t as hard as I thought. Different genres call for different approaches and the challenge can be truly gratifying. We’re lifelong learners, why curb the curiosity by rushing it?

Delineate

Our kind of work tends to blur the lines between strictly personal and professional relationships. We know people (often their families too) through their blogs/social media handles much before getting a chance to meet them. Does that mean they’re on the same page as our real friends? Certainly not, or maybe a tad few if we push it. Online interactions and offline friendships are meant to have clear demarcations. In 2026, I’ll bid adieu to ‘being nice‘ and keep my circle exclusive.

I’m not a new year resolutions kinda girl. You’ll observe that none of these steps/decisions are limited to a calendar year. They serve as a guide to make lifelong changes in how we lead our lives. We understand but sometimes need reminders to follow them. After a bittersweet 2025, I’m hoping that 2026 will be refreshingly calming and positive. I could really use that!

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