How is it already 2026? Wasn’t 1999 only 10 years ago?! The beginning of a new year gives us an easy opportunity to measure goals, progress, or just an easy starting point for a change. After a season of events, projects, and wonderful food, it is time for a simple reset and slow beginnings.

Starting the year off with an idea of what you want this year to hold is an easy way to start the year off right.  By that, I mean, it’s a perfect time to start thinking about what you want your life to look like by the end of 2026. Calmer, more family time, maybe start that garden you have always wanted to have. There are so many different ideas you may want to achieve this year. As I mentioned last week, calmer with more intention is what I, personally, am aiming for.

I tend to be an over-setter of goals. I dive in headfirst into a big pile of all possible goals I can dream up. I mean, why not just try to completely change all aspects of my life all at once? Well, because it is REALLY difficult to change everything at once with little to no prep. This year I am doing something a little different, and I am asking you to join me in The Calming Shift!

Instead of setting a list of goals, resolutions, or immediate changes, let’s name a word or phrase that you want to be able to describe your year with when we get to December 31, 2026. For me, my phrase is going to be The Calming Shift. (Surprise Surprise!)

All the plans I make and the actions I take will be aiming to achieve this year as the calming shift.

I am assuming, since you’ve made it this far in the post, you also are trying to make this next year calmer, intentional living, and more… (buzzword alert) analog. Join me in implementing these 10 tasks into daily life.

Taking a breath when you first wake up.

Maybe I am the only one guilty of this, but the moment my alarm goes off (or after the 2nd or 3rd snooze), I get up and immediately pick up my phone to scroll or log into work. I don’t give my mind a moment to wake up. Getting my morning off to a quick, rushed start, for me, is falling behind before I even begin.

In 2026, when my alarm goes off, I will not press snooze. I will take a breath. Enjoy the quiet before the day begins. Then, I will pick up my phone, and immediately open the bible app. I try to join plans that are just quick little reads. (Quick note, for me, this isn’t my bible study time, this is just starting my day off with eyes on God. If I do my bible study in the morning, I fall asleep at the table.)

Use Your Favorite Mug

Part of living intentionally is also being mindful in the little tasks of life. Even the autopilot moments deserve your presence. I so quickly just make tea or coffee in the morning on autopilot in my morning drowsy haze. Not everything needs you to give it 100% of focused attention, but if you give a handful of tasks a bit more intention, you will start to see the quality of the task will increase.

When I make my tea or coffee in the morning, I am going to use the mugs I enjoy. Go out (or rearrange your mug cabinet), find 1 or 2 mugs that you REALLY love. Now the key task: Use them.  Not only does it start your day off nice, it also is being intentional with a mundane task that doesn’t usually get a 2nd thought. Part of calming life down is to live in the mundane moments and find the joy in them! Seriously, that first sip of coffee or tea in the morning is so relaxing.

Put Your Phone Down

Do you pick up your phone, or turn to screens whenever you are bored? ME TOO! It is so easy to fill time with scrolling on your phone- social media, photos, Reddit, playing games. I am so guilty of it. This year I will be utilizing the “Landline” setting on my phone (turns off all notifications except phone calls)- This may be just an iPhone thing? But Google says Android phones have the capability too.

I will stop depending so much on my phone. There will be hours every day that my phone will be set to a focus mode that will only allow phone calls. This will help allow me to be fully present. One benefit is if I need to access anything for The Calming Storm, Flora of Eden Studio, Or one other endeavor I have yet to announce, I can always use my laptop. Give yourself the chance to be disconnected. We were never made to be 100% accessible 100% of the time.

Time Block Your Day

“But Ellie, how do we keep all of this organized and not feel like every day is too busy?” Well, I have found that time blocking really helps me. I will block off time on my calendar for the time I need to commit (I usually add 30 minutes if time allows so I am not rushed and have a little wiggle room).

One note is that my time blocking helps me prioritize what needs to be done. I don’t always follow it to a tee but I do try and make it work with my day to day schedule. It gives me X amount of time to put distractions aside and get a task done.

Quiet Bible Time

Every day, pick a time, fill it with the word of God. Period. This one is something that can be really intimidating for a lot of people. It still is to me. This year I am going to try (again) to read through the Bible in a year. Finding time every day to spend with God will start helping your focus and priority of tasks.

If you need some Bible study suggestions, comment below!

Learn to Say No

This one is really difficult for me. I’ve already been trying to practice saying no. I have such a fear of missing out, and such a fear of being the one person who says no. But I’ve had to do it. I say yes too much and I lose valuable time with my family. This year I am learning to say no to some things and I have to learn to be ok with that. If this is something difficult for you too, I totally understand. Please reach out to me if you want to vent or talk this through! It is a step by step change that you have to take moment by moment.

Please remember, saying no does not mean you’re rejecting a person or that you have any negative feelings about the person. Please don’t feel bad if you have to say no to invitations. It helps to have a few phrases prepared instead of having to think of the right thing to say in the moment.

More Time Outside (Yes, Even in the Cold)

Something that I have committed to this year (Like I said, I commit to a lot of changes every January), is the 1000 hours outdoor challenge. If you haven’t heard about this, I highly suggest checking out THIS blog post.

I believe being outside in God’s creation does more than fill your lungs with fresh air. We live in a society that is so used to moving from one box (Home, Garage, Work) to the next box in a box (car) to watch a box (TV/Computer/Phone). Getting yourself out and in nature will get you out of the box! It helps with brain function, anxiety, health, and imagination.

Plan Ahead

One thing that is going to really help with slower life. Plan ahead.

Keep a physical planner (or a digital calendar) and make note of your No-Plan-Weekend. For me, I have to be intentional with those No-Plan-Weekends. If I have to schedule one of those weekends, I have to swap with a different weekend with a no-plan-weekend. I sat down this week and went through my year of plans; marked down tentative no-plan-weekends all year. Marked every weekend day (which I am only considering Saturday and Sunday, not Fridays) that had potential plans. This includes possible dates for birthday parties for Little Man’s friends, potential travel, holiday hosting, etc. This helps too with number 6, if you already have something in your calendar (even a No-Plan-Weekend), you can say “I am so sorry to miss [INSERT EVENT], but I have a calendar conflict. I hope you have a spectacular turn out!”

Go Analog

I didn’t realize when I started writing all of the prep work for The Calming Shift, how much “going analog” is a current trend. Going away from AI, automation, etc. This is a way to slow life down with intention.

You could switch to listening to records, reading physical books, attending event or concerts in person, cooking from scratch, be creative, or even go visit a library. There are so many ways to start transitioning back to analog. You can make subtle shifts CDs and radio vs Spotify, or leaving your phone on the counter rather than keeping it in your back pocket all day long.

I would love to hear how you all are shifting to more of an analog lifestyle!!

Dimmed Evening

The newest item I’ve started doing at home, dimming the lights, turning off lights in surrounding rooms, switching from overhead lights to lamps or candles in the evening. This has helped with our sleep and our calmness in the evening. Most of us have heard about the ill effects of LED and Fluorescent lightbulbs. The warmer, dimmer lights helps your body calm down before bed. We are having more and more screens to occupy our time mindlessly.

I encourage all of you to try, even just one night a week to dim your evening to quiet music, reading physical books, and just taking an extra breather.

With that, I wish you all a very, very happy New Year!