There’s something about starting a new year that makes us think change is possible! Maybe it’s the fresh start, the clean calendar, or just the feeling of millions of people deciding, this year will be different.
But here’s what I’ve learned, a real reset isn’t about changing everything at once. It’s about creating systems. It’s those small, deliberate choices in the tools and habits that get you through normal days and stressful days, not just the days when you’re feeling motivated. So let’s talk about what a real 2026 reset actually looks like and some of my essentials for the new year!
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Move Your Body (Even When You Don’t Feel Like It)
The fitness world wants you to think you need an expensive gym membership or a full home setup. You don’t! What you need is to stick with something, and that’s easier when there are fewer obstacles in your way.
One of my must haves for staying active is a walking pad. Put it under your desk, use it while you watch TV, or walk on it during phone calls. It’s not about hard workouts, it’s about getting more steps and movement throughout your day without turning your life upside down. The best workout is one you’ll actually do, and walking pads make movement simple.
I also like to incorporate the kettlebell into my daily workout routine. Just one tool, but it opens up hundreds of exercises that build strength, help you move better, and burn calories.
Another great way to get your body moving is through yoga. Additionally, nothing motivates us to workout out more than quality workout wear. When your athletic wear is old, doesn’t fit right, or is stuffed in a drawer, it becomes another reason not to exercise. Buy a few good pieces that make you feel strong and comfortable. Laying out your workout clothes the night before is a small way to take care of your future self, and it really does help!
Track What Matters
Fitness trackers have come a long way beyond just counting steps. Devices like the Smart Ring and Fitbit now show you information about sleep quality, how well your body is recovering, your heart rate patterns, and readiness scores that tell you not just what you’re doing, but how your body is responding.
The Smart Ring is great if you want useful information without wearing a big watch. It tracks your sleep really well, breaking down your night into different stages and showing you why you might still feel tired after eight hours of sleep. Fitbit is still one of the easiest options for tracking everything all day, and it makes it simple to log your food and workouts.
The important thing with any tracker is to use the information as helpful feedback, not as judgment. A low readiness score isn’t bad, it’s just your body telling you to take it easier or focus on rest. Learning to understand what your body is telling you through data is a skill worth developing in 2026!
Plan Your Days
A day without a plan is a day that happens to you instead of for you. A good daily planner is still one of the best tools for getting things done, even with all the apps available. There’s something about writing things down by hand that helps your brain think and remember differently. Find a planner that has enough structure to guide you but enough empty space to adapt to changes.
But in a busy household with different people’s schedules, paper planners can only do so much. This is where a digital wall calendar comes in handy. These devices show your family’s calendars on a screen in your kitchen or hallway. No more surprises like “I forgot you had a meeting” or “When is their soccer practice?” Everyone sees the same information, and just being able to see everything in one place reduces a lot of daily stress!
You can also use your planner with a simple meal planning method, whether that’s a notebook, a list on your fridge, or an app. Deciding what to eat drains your brain with small decisions every single day. When you spend fifteen minutes on Sunday planning meals for the week, cooking each weeknight becomes simple!
Fuel Your Body Intentionally
Eating well doesn’t need to be hard, but you do need to make it easy. A personal blender like the NutriBullet works well because it makes getting fruits, vegetables, protein, and nutrients into your body almost effortless. A smoothie takes three minutes including cleanup, and you can pack in more nutrition than you could eat in twenty minutes!
Drinking enough water is the basic thing that makes everything work better like your energy, focus, workouts, and sleep. But plain water gets boring, and coffee isn’t the answer. LMNT electrolytes are worth trying because they have clean ingredients and actually taste good! Add a packet to your water bottle and suddenly drinking water becomes something you want to do.
Create Order in Your Space
A messy room is visual noise, and visual noise becomes mental noise. Organizing your home isn’t about making everything Pinterest perfect . It’s about reducing the mental load of your surroundings. When everything belongs somewhere, you stop wasting brain energy looking for your keys, wondering where the scissors are, or feeling stressed every time you walk into a room.
Start with the places you see first every day: your entry, your kitchen counters, your bedside table. A few simple bins and some drawer organizers make a huge difference.
The real key to staying organized isn’t always about buying more storage, it’s getting rid of things you don’t actually need. Before you buy another container, ask yourself if you really need to keep that thing at all!
But if you are looking for storage, these are some of my favorites!
KITCHEN ORGANIZER // CHRISTMAS STORAGE // UNDER BED STORAGE //
The Mindset Behind the Tools
Remember this as you think about using any of these ideas, tools help you do what you already want to do, they’re not magic that will change you by themselves. A walking pad won’t work if you never use it. An Oura ring won’t help if you ignore what it tells you. The fanciest planner doesn’t help if it stays closed. Pick one or two things to change. Get really good at those. Make them automatic. Then add one more thing. Real, lasting change happens step by step, not all at once! The version of you that you want to be in 2026 doesn’t need to be perfect. You just need to show up, over and over, with tools and systems that make showing up a little easier.
So here’s to the year ahead! To calm morning walks, workouts that leave you tired, hydration that tastes good, and nights when you look at your planner and see you actually did what you planned to do! That’s what real change looks like.
What are you planning to reset in 2026? Let me know in the comments below!