Word for the year: Rejuvenate

All of my goals run through one question: does this help me feel more rested, more creative, more grounded, more myself? I asked myself, based on my current life, energy, and values, what should I stop focusing on this year, what should I protect, and what deserves my consistent attention?

Rejuvenate is about less input, but better input. Fewer distractions, higher quality habits. Refinement over addition. Not less living. Less junk. Not deprivation. More discernment. Trying to find joy outside of the algorithm. 

We tend to put far too much pressure on January to fix everything at once. New routines, more discipline, better habits, a whole new life, all expected to click the moment the calendar turns. When it feels slower or messier than that, it’s easy to assume we’re already behind.

Starting goals or setting new intentions on January 1 has never really made sense to me. It’s still a time for rest and recovery. I prefer to sit with things throughout the month, giving myself space to reflect before deciding how I want to shape the year. For me, January is a reset month, a chance to get organized and clear out mental and financial noise before building more discipline going forward.

I’ve always loved a good best-of list. Back when I was a magazine reader, those pages were my favorite, and that habit stuck. On my blog, I’ve always enjoyed rounding up which makeup I reach for the most and or what were my favorite purchases throughout the year. If I had to give up every fragrance in my collection and only keep ten, these would be the ten.

Wearing fragrance every day is part of my self-care routine. I don’t save perfume for special occasions. I wear it to the grocery store. The only places I don't wear perfume are on a plane and to the dentist (where people sit close to you, so not to annoy). I also don’t believe in having just one signature scent. I like to change things up with the seasons, and wearing the same perfume all year would feel boring to me. Scent is our most powerful and primal sense when it comes to memory and emotion, so I want variety. I gravitate toward niche fragrances because they feel more unique, which is why only two on my list are available at Sephora.

Every year I like to make a list to guide how I approach the next 12 months. In the past, I’ve done things like Lucky Girl Syndrome Affirmations, My Ins and Outs for 2025, 25 Ways to Glow Up in 2025, the 30 Wears Challenge, and 7 Travel Resolutions.  This year I’m focusing on My Consumption Rules for 2026. The theme is simple: buy less and buy better. I am creating a traditional New Years Goal list but I always take some time at the beginning of the year to create it.