3 words for 2026
Each year I choose three words that help guide my year. They don’t end up being life changing, but they are always in my mind. It helps me make small changes in the right direction. Most of the time, they are also a harsh reminder that I’ve been struggling with some common themes for years. Still, they help me find new ways to try to be the person I want to be. Be advised that this series is usually very personal and quite raw, so if it’s a level of detail you don’t want to know, go read some xkcd instead.
Unplugged
I always watched TV in my free time, first as an entertainment, but mostly as a coping mechanism for ADHD. It helps turn my very active brain off, which is always welcome. My consumption got unfortunately worse when I was dealing with major depression, and I kept it going even after I was out of the darkness. Now, I watch an unhealthy amount of television.
Besides the negative effects studies have shown about watching too much of the rectangular box, it is really not good for me. I’m already not prone to an active lifestyle, so sitting on the couch hours per day doesn’t help. Especially since I’m in front of the computer all day long when not at conferences. Furthermore, I get bored even if I enjoy what I’m watching, which often translate in continuously snacking, and mindless eating.
The goal is not to unplug completely. It’s to limit my consumption of streaming services and social media also (outside of work), to a healthy amount. It’s all about balance! I want to replace some of the screen time with healthier habits like reading or a new hobby. I also have the desire to be more intentional about what I watch. I have hours of recorded Buddhist teaching to catch up on, which could replace some Netflix ingestion. It would be way more stimulating and will end up helping me continue to be happier and a better human.
Thrifty
This year is all about starting to take back my financial freedom. To do so, frugality with money will be the way to go. I don’t want to feel the stress ever again that I had last year when I lost my job not long after buying a house. In this terrible economy and the state of the tech industry right now, it’s harder than ever to find a new job, no matter your experience and expertise. It means more time without incomes if you end up unemployed. By being thrifty, my goal is to go debt-free (minus the mortgage for now), minimize my living expenses, grow a healthier disaster fund and help me retire earlier. It doesn’t mean depriving myself, but to stop keeping up with the Joneses. To quote Dave Ramsey, “If you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else.”
Healthful
I’m not old, but I’m not 20 anymore. At 43, I’m at the crossroads, health-wise. I’ve rarely taken care of my physical health, which, over the years, culminates to where I am today. I’m overweight with some health problems, I have a very much sedentary lifestyle and a bad relationship to food. Now that my psychological health is solid for years, it’s time for me to rectify the physical one. It won’t be easy as it’s a lifetime of bad habits mingling with ADHD symptoms that brought me here. Like everything, the goal is to slowly move toward the right direction by adding a bit more movement in my life, and fewer restaurants eating.
Happy New Year, folks!
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio