A case of new year, new me syndrome

Romanticising 2026

At the beginning of each new year it feels as if I teeter on the precipice of discovering a new me. Like the cosmos has shifted and the stars are now somehow rearranging the most oblivious part of my being to fit into their grand master plan. But as January 2nd rolls around, morphing into the 3rd…4th…5th, I am not rearranged but stagnant; stuck in my new loop of resolutions that I tick off like chores each day on my new habit tracker that I paid $15 for in the app store.

But instead of lamenting the sluggish, grotty sensation of waking up at 11am on a Tuesday, this year, I’ve decided, I want to set my mind to mastering the tragic fallacy of the modern aversion to stagnation. Let me instead embody the inertia of a 14th century monk, with my hood draped over my bowed head, enveloped with the steady thump my medieval heart, encased in a time when man still, in the deepest part of his being, possessed a peace we have lost.¹

In putting together this list, I am struck by the knowledge that yes: it is the 6th of January, 6 days too late to start any abysmal ‘new years resolution’ but with the littered graveyard of many failed resolutions from years gone by, I have come to the conclusion that it does not matter when you begin implementing new goals but the care you take to water them whenever you can.

All’s to say, that this year, gradually add something new into your life over the span of January. Rather than being fatigued from the burst of energy lost after day 1, every couple of days add one new addition to your routine. I think by breaking it up into small nibbles it not only allows you to devote time and energy to cultivating each specific goal, but crucially grants you the grace of - god forbid - losing your day one streak.

Alas let me dive into some ideas for 2026…

Write letters

It seems the physical act of writing is becoming a rare craft, where everything is text messages and emails all keeping us attached to the idea that our screens are the only means of initiating human connection. Instead, take the time to sit down with your cute stationary and stickers and write a letter to someone you haven’t spoken to in a while, or even someone you have. Use it as a practice to not only keep in touch with others, but also reflect on your own life, almost like a journal that is being shared with someone you cherish. What have you been up to? How are you feeling? What did you enjoy today?

End the regime of convenience

In an automated world we have become accustomed to constantly wielding the power of convenience. With chat gpt and spotify and in app ordering, everything has been curated to be as simple and accessible as possible which makes the almost immediate annoyance of a wrong coffee order or a flight delay all the more catastrophically world ending. This year, try to regain patience for human error, for things that don’t rely on technology. I’m not sure exactly how to do so, but perhaps it begins with learning to sit with small inconveniences and letting them exist without hostility - like resigning to the agonising ten-minute wait for an Uber.

Stretch

Maybe you want to feel more refreshed in the morning, or increase your flexibility, or fix your posture (cough cough, looking at me), but aside from that, dedicating 5 minutes to stretching everyday creates a quiet time for you to consciously appreciate and care for your body.

p.s. I have been loving bend which creates routines, reminders and streaks to keep you motivated.

Read

Every year I say to myself that I wish I had read more and that I simply didn’t have the time to do so. In defence of reading, I contrastingly had hours to spend scrolling instagram reels. Get off your phone and read!! Rather than setting the capricious goal of 40 books this year, do something tangible, like 15 minutes every night. Also try to branch into a genre of book you aspire to read, like classics or philosophy, ones that make you think and reflect on the world. Shout out to fable, aka - the more chic version of goodreads.

Colour in

Get creative. I have always been intimidated by ‘creative’ hobbies, thinking I was ‘not creative enough’ to take up the daunting task of crochet or playing guitar. But recently, after being influenced by my friends, I bought myself a set of coloured markers and a cute colouring book off amazon and got to work. How hard could it be, its literally for kids? Take the time to sit down, put on some music and colour in. It has an almost meditative quality where all the thoughts in your head go silent and you become hyper focused on simply not going outside the lines and choosing which colour to do next. What joy!

Thank you so so much for reading my first post in years, it truely feels like a rebirth restarting my Substack and I can’t wait to see where it goes next!!

x Charlotte

1. An idea posed by Julian Green in his novel Paris