Word for the year: Rejuvenate

All of my goals run through one question: does this help me feel more rested, more creative, more grounded, more myself? I asked myself, based on my current life, energy, and values, what should I stop focusing on this year, what should I protect, and what deserves my consistent attention?

Rejuvenate is about less input, but better input. Fewer distractions, higher quality habits. Refinement over addition. Not less living. Less junk. Not deprivation. More discernment. Trying to find joy outside of the algorithm. 

We tend to put far too much pressure on January to fix everything at once. New routines, more discipline, better habits, a whole new life, all expected to click the moment the calendar turns. When it feels slower or messier than that, it’s easy to assume we’re already behind.

Starting goals or setting new intentions on January 1 has never really made sense to me. It’s still a time for rest and recovery. I prefer to sit with things throughout the month, giving myself space to reflect before deciding how I want to shape the year. For me, January is a reset month, a chance to get organized and clear out mental and financial noise before building more discipline going forward.

If I had to narrow my entire fragrance collection down to just ten bottles, these would be the ones I’d keep. The ones I reach for without thinking. The ones that feel like me.

Fragrance isn’t something I save for special occasions. It’s part of my everyday routine. I wear it to the grocery store, to run errands, to sit at home. The only places I skip it are tight spaces like airplanes or the dentist. Otherwise, it’s on.

I don’t believe in having just one signature scent. I like variety. Different moods. Different seasons. Scent is tied so closely to memory and emotion that wearing the same thing all year would feel limiting. I gravitate toward niche fragrances because they feel more personal and distinctive, which is why only two of these are widely available.

If these were the only ten I could keep for life, I’d be perfectly happy.

Every year I like to make a list to guide how I approach the next 12 months. In the past, I’ve done things like Lucky Girl Syndrome Affirmations, My Ins and Outs for 2025, 25 Ways to Glow Up in 2025, the 30 Wears Challenge, and 7 Travel Resolutions.  This year I’m focusing on My Consumption Rules for 2026. The theme is simple: buy less and buy better. I am creating a traditional New Years Goal list but I always take some time at the beginning of the year to create it.