Themes for 2026
As the new year starts, again we are in the season of goals, resolutions, and themes. Usually when I think of the upcoming year and my personal expectations, I find myself composing a long laundry list of goals I most likely will not achieve- a checklist of tasks I will write down and then forget about in a couple of weeks. This year I am challenging myself to dive a little bit deeper into what it means to rebrand yourself. Let’s aim to find themes for the year we want to focus on, rather than one and done items. Themes for the year paint me a picture of how I want the year to feel, not just how I want to act. I hope that by creating themes, they will change my mindset, not just my actions.
And with that, here are my themes for 2026. I hope you find something that resonates within you, just like these all did for me.
Themes for 2026
1. Establishing A Routine
This year I hope to remind myself of two very valuable points in regards to establishing a successful routine. First, heavily routined days do not necessarily mean boring. And second, I am capable of getting everything in my routine accomplished, I just need to find the motivation and hold myself accountable.
As much as I try to fight it, I am far more productive with a strong routine rather than a flexible one. Throughout my life, I have found that routines allow me consistency, which therefore gives me more flexibility with what I do in my free time. A correctly-structured routine allows me to enjoy the time I have open, while also holding myself accountable for my responsibilities and commitments.
2. Form Healthier Consumption Habits
Since I can remember, I have always followed an ‘all or nothing’ mindset, which has proved wildly inconsistent and unproductive. Everytime I fell into this mindset of doing it all- accomplishing the most I possibly can at one time, and looking seemingly perfect from an outsider’s perspective- eventually the fadace would crack and I would fall into a major slump, unable to regain motivation to do anything at all anymore.
Remember, the main reason a goal fails is simply because it is too strict. This year, I want to be more gentle with myself, to remind myself that I am human, I am not a perfectly oiled machine that runs 24/7. I want to find balance in both my mind and in my endeavors. No one is perfect, and that is ok. It is healthier to take breaks rather than to push ourselves through the signals our body gives to, begging us to slow down for a while and just breathe.
3. Spend my Filler Time Differently
With the constant influx of online stimulation, I have lost sight of what it means to be bored. Anytime I feel unseasy or restless, I can just pick up my phone and with a couple taps have access to any source of media and entertainment I want. This year, I want to remind myself that not every moment is meant to be filled, not all free time is meant to be spent endlessly scrolling.
By limiting my screen time, I will be forced to find entertainement in more productive and healthy ways. Scrolling endlessly does not improve my life in any single way, but what does is doing things like spending time outside, calling friends from around the world, reading, sleeping more, and even sitting in silence. It is going to be ok if I am bored for a couple of minutes, rather than the constant overstimulation that damages my brain.
May 2026 be the year that I finally make the effort to do the things my mind or body craves, rather than just doing what is easily accessible.
4. Learn to Be Ok with Missing Out
As a college student at UMiami, there is a stereotype that all students here run on no sleep, living for going out and partying rather than finding enjoyment in their academic endeavors. While I cannot speak for everyone, I do see some truth in it when I reflect on myself and my choices in college so far. I tried this approach for a year and a half, and each semester it became increasingly difficult to successfully manage school and personal life together.
This semester I want to focus on the academic aspect of college, and reward myself with social interactions rather than socializing being the main focus of my life. This year I am going to make an effort to spend time with friends in other ways than just going out, such as; going to the library or gym together, trying new workout classes, going on hot girl walks, trying a new recipe together, etc.
It is ok to miss out on things: not every event is meant to be attended. If going out is compromising your mental health and your academic or work responsabilities, the right choice is to take a step back and focus on areas that improve your chances of success, not hurt it.
5. Bring Family Back Into my Life
I spent most of my childhood wanting to move away from home so that I could be independent. Now at 20 years old, I am finally realizing that independence doesn’t necessarily mean complete autonomy from your family or the people who support you the most.
I know how lucky I am to have a family that is supportive, loving, and caring, and I recognize how truly rare that is. In 2026 I want to show my gratitude towards my family more. Even though I live 900 miles away now, that doesn’t mean they can’t be a part of my life. I am going to make an effort to call spontaneously more often, to send more ‘I love you!’ texts, and to include them in my daily life.
6. Redefining Progress and Failure
As we know, progress is not one straight upwards line. One day of eating badly does not restart you to zero. One day of skipping that workout does not take away all your growth and endurance. One day of missing reading time does not mean you have to start the book over again. However, what does reset your progress is the all or nothing mindset. We are human: we are meant to make mistakes, have off moments, express emotion, and be unpredictable at times. Again, no one is perfect, as much as it seems like it.
Learning to live in a balance is the key to a positive outlook both externally and internally.
I want to shift my perspective of the word ‘failure’ as well. Whenever I ‘fail’ at something I worked hard for, I feel a sense of shame and unworthiness. But why do I feel this way? If I truly gave it my all, putting my best effort into whatever endevor I was persuing, then why would I be mad at myself? In 2026, I want to remind myself that just because I didn’t finish something the way I intended, that doesn’t mean I failed and am therefore unworthy. It just means I need to shift my focus to other topics that I can find purpose and enjoyment in. Life is too short to focus on the things we don’t do. Instead let’s focus on what brings us happiness.
Key Takeaways
In summary, I have taken away three important lessons from my themes for 2026:
The right structure doesn’t take away individuality, it actually gives it room to grow.
Accepting help and love from others does not take away your independence.
Life is meant to be enjoyed, but remember not every moment has to be perfect or constantly stimulating.
You do not need to overbook your life to move forward- you just need to start paying attention to what actually makes you feel better, and dive passionately and headfirst into whatever endeavor that may be. Here’s to 2026, may it bring us purpose and furfillment!
