26 Things to Live By in 26
Another year over, another year older. When I turned 25, I wanted to reflect on some of the things I learned over the years. Based on those and continuing reflections, I wanted to come up with 26 ideas for me to follow this year that would allow me to get closer to living the life that I want to create for myself. It’s been around two months since I turned 26, but this has given me additional time to think about what matters to me and to try to put some of these ideas into practice in the meantime.
Whether you’re turning another year older, planning for the new year, or stumbling upon this blog post anytime of the year and just looking for change, I hope these provide some positive inspiration. As always, take what you need and leave behind what doesn’t serve you as you design the life you want for yourself.
Here are 26 things I’m living by this year:
Stop thinking about what I don’t have, and instead focus on what I do have.
Accept help wherever I can get it (and do the same for others if they ask). Not all of us can afford mentors or coaches, so when we get that advice or guidance from somewhere, why not take it?
Prioritize health. It sounds so simple and obvious, yet it’s one of the first to go when I get overwhelmed or stressed. Can you relate?
Minimize procrastination. If there’s a task I can complete within 5 minutes, I should just get it done rather than postpone it and let it live on my to-do list.
Surround myself with people who inspire me, want to grow alongside me, and push me to be better.
Start my mornings with myself. Don’t check work emails, social media, and other attention-grabbers that can take over my thoughts. Use that time to focus on myself by planning out my day; connecting with what I need, how I feel, what motivates me; and creating a calm environment that sets me up for reduced stress and increased flow throughout my day.
Live below my means.
Reduce self-created friction. Recently, I have been thinking about how I unnecessarily add strain to my own life. There are already so many things we can’t control in our lives. Why make it harder for ourselves if we don’t need to?
Simplify. Kind of goes with the one above, but don’t overcomplicate things. Find processes that make the day easier and prevent trivial, bothersome thoughts from lingering in my mind.
Do more things to support the lifestyle I want.
Create opportunities for myself. Don’t just sit around waiting for something that might never arrive.
Identify what grounds me, and allow myself to spend more time in those grounding factors. Spending time by the water, watching sunsets, and making lists have always helped to ground me. Carving time out in my day or week dedicated to these can help me slow down, recenter, and refuel to keep going.
Don’t always wait until I feel ready to do something. Sometimes, I just need to take that first step and see where it takes me. More often than not, I might never be ready, and I need to get comfortable with the uncertain.
Always be open to feedback. Doesn’t matter who it’s from. Nor does it mean I have to put much stock into or apply every piece of feedback. I just need to keep an open mind so that I can keep growing and improving.
Spend more time outdoors.
Keep the promises I make to myself. If I don’t respect my own time, boundaries, and words, how can I expect anyone else to?
Build habits and practices that keep me energized. I don’t mean that every day needs to be 110% productive. Rest, relaxation, doing nothing - all of these are important and essential throughout the week. But I have been feeling SO lethargic over the past couple years, and I really detest that feeling. There are going to be several days that I feel like I’m just trudging along, tired and unmotivated. But I don’t want to feel like that every day if my mind and/or body naturally aren’t causing that. I want to find out what helps me feel my best and abide by those needs until they change.
Don’t compare myself to anyone.
Take at least one big leap out of my comfort zone. Do something I never thought I would or that I imagined but never thought I could actually make happen. See where it takes me.
Learn something new every day. And keep track of it. It doesn’t need to be a whole concept. It can be a new word, a new idea, even something new I learn about myself. But I want to keep challenging and expanding my mind.
Replace screens with books as often as possible.
Focus more on what I think of myself than what others think of me.
Prioritize long-term gratification and comfort over short-term gratification and comfort. That doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be present. It just means that I might need to do uncomfortable things or make difficult decisions now for the betterment of my future.
Keep my physical and digital environment clean and uncluttered.
Be consistent and show up for myself. Don’t quit when things seem to not be working out. Follow through.
Trust myself.
Is there anything you want me to expand on or discuss further? Do any of these resonate with you? Have you tried to live by any of these - if so, how have they impacted your life? Share below!
P.S. If there’s anything I can do to make these posts or even the website more accessible, please leave your feedback below or email/DM me. Inclusivity is super important to me, so I’d love to make any adjustments to ensure this content can be accessed by all!