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2026: Defining and deciding future dos and don’ts

December 26, 2025

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!

This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with Cerebration – Think with body, mind & soul.

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36 thoughts on “2026: Defining and deciding future dos and don’ts”

  1. Your post was like an echo! I nodded with every point, yes my heart is already moving in that direction. I have decided to take a backseat from many things, digital detox for a couple of months, be in my space, release the old and make way for the good stuff. 2026 is going to be the year of joy!

  3. I really liked how you turned the usual ‘resolutions’ talk into something more intentional; focusing on dos, don’ts, and defining rather than just ‘fixing.’ It made thinking about the year ahead feel practical and grounded instead of overwhelming.

  5. Delineate and deliberate stood out for me, and that last line about these posing not merely reduced to “resolutions” but guides for life perked my spirits. I needed this today, and hope to follow suit, at least with respect to a couple of points,

  8. Your approach to defining and choosing future dos and don’ts felt so inspiring, Varsha. I’m not a pro-resolutions person either but your practical and uplifting goals here definitely gave me some ideas to rethink my own goals for 2026

  9. Loved this. I totally relat, sometimes it’s nice to just let things unfold instead of over-planning. Small everyday changes really do make a big difference. Decluttering my space has helped me a lot too, it genuinely felt like clearing my mind.

  10. Dil sa Dil Tak wala feeling hua … Blogging seems harder these days to me and I try to remind the old Samata who used to be so active and energetic and it creates some extra heat in me and end up writing. Regarding Online and Offline connections/friendship what you i strongly believe in that …. IF all become friends then it will lose the real meaning of FRIENDSHIP in today’s time.

    1. I hear you, Samata. If and when we attach numbers to our blogs it feels hectic. Hope you get your energy back soon! And agree about online friendships. Unless they trickle down to offline meets they’re merely acquaintances.

  11. Saint Varsha 🙂 You girls gain wisdom early. I hear you loud and clear. We waste time on keeping up with the Joneses, not monetarily but otherwise and end up a mess.I have now decided to take each day as it comes. Peace, calm, mindfulness is the motto for this year. I am going to pay due diligence to my physical and mental well being.

  12. I really enjoyed how your 2026 guide feels both grounded and uplifting, offering thoughtful dos and don’ts that help readers reflect on priorities, purpose, and growth while inviting a creative and mindful approach to making meaningful choices in the year ahead.

  14. This post is refreshingly honest and thoughtful, turning the usual “New Year resolutions” into practical, mindful guides for life. I love the focus on intentional living, decluttering, and creative growth—a truly inspiring roadmap for 2026 and beyond.

  16. This was me when I started 2026 with the sme agenda. yes time on social media is a task. and I should try to manage it. in between writing, reading, creating, kids and home chores. Trying to balance it is such a task,

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