Health & Habits

Welcome to 2026!

For many of us, January feels like a clean slate. It’s a time for setting goals or intentions and imagining what we want the year ahead to look like. Usually, “better health” lands somewhere at the top of the list.

But far too often, our health goals become extreme—rigid diets, strict exercise routines, and promises that demand more time and energy than real life allows. By March, most people feel exhausted, discouraged, or overwhelmed and quietly step away from the very goals they cared about.

These goals fizzle out not because we don’t care about our health, but because the expectations don’t fit with our actual lives. They clash with our priorities, our responsibilities, and our basic need for rest.

As you think back on previous years, consider the intentions you set. Did they last?What got in the way?

Chances are, it wasn’t a lack of motivation—it was work, caregiving, illness, travel, stress, finances, or simply being human.

This year, I encourage you to try three things:

1. Set goals at the level of a “C average.”

Not an A+. Not even a B.A C.

Think of it as your “bare minimum” goal—the version you can realistically hit most weeks, even when life gets busy. If movement three days a week is doable, start there. Everything beyond that is a bonus, not the expectation. "C-average goals" keep you consistent rather than burned out.

2. Expect it to be messy, but stay focused on the bigger picture.

Some weeks will be great. Others will fall apart. That’s normal.

What matters is what your month looks like, not your hardest week. When obstacles pop up—and they will—the most important skill you can build is the ability to return to your habits without guilt or all-or-nothing thinking. That’s where the true progress happens.

3. Practice acceptance.

You may see people online sharing dramatic early-year transformations or extreme routines. Remember: health is not a sprint. It’s a long-distance process.

Your goal isn’t perfection—it’s momentum. Month after month, you’re learning what supports your health, what gets in the way, and how to stay focused without burning yourself out.

Health is measured in habits, not in pounds.

The scale is not a reliable motivator. In fact, frequent weigh-ins often distract from the real, meaningful work you’re doing to support your well-being.

Health is not a number. Health is…

• Lowering your blood pressure, blood sugar, or cholesterol.

• Prioritizing sleep over doomscrolling.

• Choosing meals that fuel you rather than drain you.

• Moving your body in ways that feel sustainable.

• Creating routines that support—not stress—your life.

This year, may your health goals be gentler, more realistic, and far more aligned with the life you actually live. Here's to building habits that last. Cheers!