If you’re not ready to bounce into ‘26 yet

January is already full of very loud instructions.

Set the goals. But don’t be too rigid with yourself.

Lock in the plan. But remember to live for today.

Be disciplined. Don’t drink. Except red wine, its good. In moderation.

Make each day count. But be kind to yourself.

So much certainty being broadcast.

So many confident declarations.

And underneath it all, I suspect, a lot of people quietly wondering ‘Is it just me who doesn’t feel ready yet?’

For some people, the break will have been awesome, have them wound up like a little toy car, pulled back, full of fresh unspent momentum and ready to go, emailing their team with all the motivation for a big year.

For some, the season was hard. Dealing with family or with grief of time without loved ones. For some, working hard to make it memorable for other people it’s tough to motivate to go again. For others, it’s the crunchy awkwardness of not knowing what you want yet, let alone being ready to declare this year will be your best ever.

I’m very much in the inbetween. I think my blood type is still 85% cheese, 10% red wine and 5% mint Matchmakers.

I’ve learned not to rush this part.

The not-knowing.

The pause before the next shape appears. It doesn’t mean I’m not busy shaping and choosing. I’m just not ready to shout it from the rooftops.

If this is you, if you’re in the in between, if you’re wondering if vision boards and manifesting joy and declarations of strategy days, team huddles and being all in on 2026 feels overwhelming, it’s ok.

The people who are actually creating change right now aren’t the ones shouting about momentum. They’re likely the ones sitting with some uncomfortable questions and making choices from there :

🧀What am I between, rather than where am I behind?

🧀Where am I asking myself for certainty when curiosity would be enough?

🧀What is ending, even if I can’t yet name what’s beginning?

🧀What would it look like to stay here a little longer without making it wrong?

I’m interested in that kind of progress.

The internal kind that eventually changes everything.

If you’re there, you’re not stuck. You’re at the seam of something.

But that kind of work doesn’t look as impressive on LinkedIn. It can be barely visible. Quiet.

Slow progress.

Like weaning yourself off the cheese gradually. Not going cold turkey…mmm, turkey....

So maybe ask, if I’m not ready for the whole year yet, what might I be ready for this week?

If you are starting this week renewed, reenergised and bouncing into it, that’s also excellent. Huge congratulations to everyone starting new roles.

I will be choosing to shimmy from my break into this week rather than bounce!