New Year, new foundation
New Year’s often arrive with a rush of fresh energy—new goals, new aspirations, new hope. And yet, many of us find ourselves feeling discouraged when those goals don’t fully materialize by year’s end.
I often think about this in the same way I think about weight loss, another common New Year’s intention. Maybe you set a goal to lose 20 pounds in 2026. But instead of focusing solely on the number, it can be more helpful to pause and ask what lies beneath it. Are you hydrated enough? Are you nourishing your body consistently? Has your system had time to recover after the indulgence and stress of the holiday season?
Foundational wellness practices can help our goals become a reality and provide solid blocks to further our overall wellness. Some foundation physical wellness practices may include:
Drink a full glass of water within 30 minutes of waking
Aim to add one vegetable or fiber-rich food to each meal
Focus on consistency rather than restriction
Notice how your body responds to food without judgment
Wellness rarely starts with drastic change—it begins with noticing.
The Uncomfortable Work of Building Stability
The same is true for our emotional and mental health. We often set expectations on an unsteady foundation, then feel frustrated when our energy fades. Building a strong foundation—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—isn’t glamorous work, but it’s deeply necessary.
And geez, can that work be unglamorous. Personally, I am navigating literal piping issues in my own building. While I would prefer to focus on updating my living room’s feng sui, I’m reminded that there’s no point in making things look beautiful if what’s underneath isn’t functioning properly. Wellness works the same way. We can’t bypass burnout, stress, or emotional buildup by simply visualizing a better future.
However, we can move closer to being a more beautiful being by letting go of performing and getting real with ourselves through emotional and mental wellness practices. Building better emotional and mental wellness “pipes” might include:
Check in with your emotions once a day using simple language (e.g., “tired,” “overwhelmed,” “content”)
Schedule short, intentional breaks rather than waiting until burnout
Practice naming needs before pushing through discomfort
Limit overexposure to stress-inducing content when possible
When we fixate on the ideal outcome, we often neglect the daily practices that sustain it.
Letting Go of the Idealized Ending
If we want to actualize a better foundation for ourselves, we may need to release the idealized ending, which can be extremely difficult. We live in a world that encourages escapism and sometimes serious delulu. The social sensationalism surrounding the ending of Stranger Things reminds me of this. Healing, much like the show’s ending, doesn’t always wrap things up neatly. Growth often requires acceptance, adjustment, and sacrifice.
Rather than erasing the past, wellness invites us to learn to live with it differently—integrating its lessons rather than resisting them.
It can be painful, but many people realize a sense of peace when they can reflect and accept. Some reflective and acceptance-based practices can include:
Journal about what you’re grieving—not just what you want to change
Practice self-compassion when progress feels slower than expected
Allow mixed emotions to coexist without forcing resolution
Ask yourself, “What is realistic for me right now?”
Choosing What to Carry Forward
With support and intention, we get to choose what we carry into this next chapter. My hope this year isn’t perfection—it’s presence. I want to stay connected to my body’s cues, my emotional needs, my community, my faith, my purpose, and the lessons I’ve already learned.
I choose to reflect on areas of my life that feel cluttered, heavy, and messy. I choose practices that strengthen my foundation and shed beliefs or habits that drain my energy.
For me, these choices are grounding and strengthening, but there are many ways develop grounding and strengthening rituals such as:
Establish a simple morning or evening ritual (5–10 minutes is enough)
Engage in movement that feels regulating rather than punishing
Prioritize sleep as a form of emotional regulation
Identify one belief or pattern that no longer serves you and gently challenge it
Support Makes the Process Sustainable
If you’re approaching this year with similar intentions, know that you don’t have to do it alone. Wellness is not meant to be a solo project.
Supportive wellness resources to consider:
Use tools like our Wellness Calendar to check in across multiple areas of your life
Work with helping professionals to process emotional buildup and gain coping strategies
Engage in supportive, reflective communities like Fringe Wellness
Share your intentions with someone you trust to reduce isolation
May this season be less about forcing change and more about listening—tending to your foundation so that growth can happen naturally and sustainably.
Wishing you steadiness, clarity, and care as a you build your foundation,
Chante’