In’s and Out’s in 2026

“New year, new me”, we say as the year starts. A new year, a new beginning. The start of a new self, a better version of oneself. But after a month or two, it’s hard to carry on with these resolutions. Oftentimes, we fall back into old habits. Why is it so hard to uphold these promises to ourselves? I think it’s because we often make these goals fit into societal norms – a beauty standard – and not to feel good about ourselves in the long run.

But what if we don’t follow societal norms? What if we don’t try to reach a beauty standard? What if we try to glow up, not on the outside, but on the inside?

Let’s make a New Year’s resolution that sticks, just for ourselves. Let’s transform the idea of New Year’s resolutions into a new understanding, a healthier understanding, of growth. Goals become more sustainable when we feel better afterwards instead of worse, because we can’t reach an unrealistic standard.

At the moment, I see a lot of trending videos on social media that tell us what’s “chic” and what’s “unchic”. For example, it’s chic to drink black espresso; it’s unchic to drink coffee with a lot of sweeteners and milk, like a pumpkin spice latte.

This trend, in itself, I find very problematic. Why is one thing better, or more “chic” than the other? Why is it “chic” to put others down to temporarily feel better about ourselves? I find it especially “unchic” to yuck someone else’s yum. In my eyes, really “chic” is to find something you truly enjoy and to stand by it. Self-confidence doesn’t show in our judgment of others but in the way we carry ourselves.

Another aspect of this is the trend of “nonchalance”. Everything has to be “nonchalant,” it seems, which is just another word for being “cool” and non-committal.

These commitment issues and “nonchalance” seem to transpire into real life.

“Just not feeling it” seems to become more and more acceptable as an excuse to cancel plans last-minute. When was the point where making an effort for our loved ones became such a burden? Real, deep connections require effort. “Everyone wants a village, but no one wants to be a villager anymore” really rings true in this aspect.

But what’s “chic” and “cool”, in my eyes, is to care. To care deeply about others, to sometimes “inconvenience” ourselves in the sake of the connection and to show others that we care.

That being said, here are my “ins” and “outs” for 2026.

Out: exercising to become thinner, to reach a beauty standard made by an industry that cares more about profit than about our health.

In: self-care with substance. Movement and exercise to feel stronger.

Out: canceling plans at the last minute, because our “social battery is empty” and we “just don’t feel like it”.

In: listening to ourselves and our intuition, but still showing up for our friends and committing to plans.

Out: putting others down for what they like and devaluing what they enjoy.

In: enjoying what we like and not judging others for their taste.

Let’s make 2026 a year of love. Love for ourselves and the ones around us.

A year of committing to and showing up for others.

A year of strength, inside and out.