A (Slightly Late) Welcome to 2026 — Let’s Talk About Habits

It's the longest month of the year again! I am a bit late on the welcome to 2026 email but here is goes. This is probably right on time, because real change rarely happens neatly on 1 January anyway, right!?

If you feel like your New Years resolutions have failed, it could be because you have set too high an expectation of yourself or you have not yet learned how to initiate real habit change. Here is some information that might help you to succeed.

Most of what we do every day runs on autopilot. There’s a reason for that. Our brains love efficiency. They build little loops: a trigger, a behaviour, and a reward. For example, you feel stressed, you snack, you feel better. Or you’re exhausted, you skip movement, you get a bit more rest. The trick isn’t judging your habits. It’s understanding them.

Instead of thinking, Why can’t I just be more disciplined? try asking, What is this habit doing for me? What need is it meeting? Because once you understand that, you can start to shift gently and sustainably. For the most part, when we engage in an impulsive behaviour, we are really just looking for pleasure, or reward. Because life us hard, and we deserve to feel good!

One of my favourite ideas from the book Atomic Habits is that we don’t rise to the level of our goals; we fall to the level of our systems. In other words, what you do most days matters far more than what you intend to do.

And that’s where most people go wrong-they try to change everything at once. Eat well. Exercise daily. Sleep better. Drink more water. No sugar. No processed carbs.

Instead, what if this year you focused on just one habit as a start?

Not a full life overhaul. Just one small, meaningful shift. Get that right, and then move forward with conquering more.

Maybe it’s eating a proper breakfast.Maybe it’s adding protein to your meals.Maybe it’s a daily walk.Maybe it’s a better bedtime routine.Maybe it’s learning to pause before mindless snacking.

Pick one.

Then get curious. What usually triggers this habit? What are you actually craving? Is it comfort, energy, relief or rest? And how could you meet that need in a way that supports you better?

You don’t need perfection. You don’t need punishment. You don’t need a new personality.

You just need small systems that work for your real life.

So here’s my gentle challenge for you: choose one habit to shift for now and do it the right way. Just one. Once you have mastered that, you can safely move on to the rest!

Your 2026 Mini Challenge

Choose ONE habit to shift:

It can be:

• A nutrition habit (e.g., eating breakfast, more protein, less mindless snacking)

• A movement habit (e.g., walking more, stretching, strength training)

• A lifestyle habit (e.g., sleep routine, stress management, boundaries)

Identify the negative

Identify the negative habit and then ask yourself:

1. What is the cue that triggers this habit?

2. What am I actually seeking, for example reward or pleasure?

3. How can I meet that same need in a healthier way?

You can also try give yourself a reward for doing the new habit

Let's take an example. In the afternoon after work, you feel a bit defeated by the day and feel like you need a reward so you open the kitchen cupboard and start snacking on sugary or salty foods. The cue could be getting home and just seeing the kitchen or it could be your thoughts around the day. So to remove the cue, you could avoid the kitchen until its time to prepare dinner and you could try as much as possible to leave the stress of a workday at work as you leave the premises and distract yourself with something else when you get home, for example a hobby. If you are looking for a reward, give it to yourself in a non harmful way by doing some stretching or breath-work, listening to music, doing some self-care like a face mask or your nails etc so that the need is met in a healthier way. If you do manage to avoid the afternoon snacking, give yourself an extra reward- like saving some money for something special.

Another useful tip is to focus on identity, rather than outcomes

Instead of:“I want to lose weight.”

Try:“I’m becoming someone who looks after my body.”

Instead of:“I must exercise more.”

Try:“I’m someone who moves regularly.”

Your habits are votes for the type of person you believe you are!