As we say goodbye to 2025 and hello to 2026, we also say hello to something else—our hopes for the new year.
Otherwise known as New Year’s resolutions… those well-intentioned promises we make while holding a cup of coffee (or something stronger) and thinking, This year will be different.

I usually start the new year full of optimism and determination. I really do. I like fresh starts. Clean slates. New notebooks.

But as this year winds down, I have to admit something: I’m tired.
Not just “I could use a nap” tired—but mentally and physically worn down.

My accidents and injuries have been heavy on my body.
My not-so-stellar marketing skills for my children’s books have been heavy on my mind.
(Who knew writing the books wasn’t the hardest part?)

And lately, instead of my usual encouraging inner voice, I’ve noticed something else creeping in—negative self-talk.

It sounds a little like this:

I don’t like myself.
I’m not good enough.
I’m weak,
not smart,
not pretty.
I constantly make mistakes
and can’t seem to get it right.
I say the wrong things
and judge too quickly.
I forget to appreciate the people I love.
I struggle to forgive—
myself most of all.
I feel lazy,
self-absorbed,
and stuck.
I don’t see any reason
to believe otherwise.

Yikes, right?
That inner critic clearly skipped the kindness workshop.

But here’s the thing—when I stop and really look at those thoughts, I realize something important. Just because I think them… doesn’t make them true.

So what if I tried saying this instead?

Disliking myself
is something I tell myself when I’m upset —
but that doesn’t make it fact.
I believe I’m not good enough
until I remember I’m still learning.
I feel weak
only because I’m human.
I am smart enough,
worthy enough,
and—on my better days—
more than enough.

See the shift?

I’m not ignoring how I feel.
I’m just choosing to look at it from a different angle.

And maybe that’s my resolution this year—not to “fix” myself, but to pause, turn things around, and give myself a little grace before jumping to conclusions.

Maybe 2026 doesn’t need a long list of resolutions.
Maybe it just needs one simple reminder:
When life feels heavy, try turning the page instead of tearing it out.

After all, unstoppable stories aren’t written by people who never struggle—
they’re written by people who keep going anyway.

Here’s to turning the page together — and continuing our unstoppable stories, one imperfect chapter at a time.

-Peni