There’s a quiet pressure that comes with a new year.
Even before January fully settles in, the noise starts creeping up. New year, new habits. Meaning new routines and new goals. A brand-new version of yourself that you’re somehow supposed to unveil by February.
And this year, I’m just… not doing that.
I’m easing into 2026 slowly. With soft habits and Intentionally. Without trying to rebrand my entire life in four weeks.
Last year taught me what burnout actually feels like. Not the dramatic, crash-and-burn kind, but the sneaky version that shows up when you’re doing “all the right things” and still feel exhausted. I learned that hustle disguised as ambition still drains you. That routines without softness turn into obligation. And that productivity without rest always comes at a cost.
So this year, I’m choosing a different energy.
Instead of pushing, I’m pacing. Instead of forcing discipline, I’m building gentler habits that can actually last. And instead of sprinting into January, I’m letting winter be winter.
This season isn’t about becoming someone new. It’s about taking care of the version of me that already exists, with soft habits, cozy routines, and books that feel like a deep exhale.
My Soft Habits for January
I’m not overhauling my life this month. I’m choosing a few habits that feel grounding, supportive, and realistic for the season I’m in. These are the anchors holding my January together.
Keeping My Sundays Sacred
Sundays are non-negotiable for me now.
They’re my CEO day and my rest day. The place where structure meets softness.
On Sundays, I reset my week in a way that feels calm instead of frantic. I plan content, map out priorities, and check in with myself emotionally. But I also rest. I light candles. I make something warm to eat. And I don’t rush the day just to feel “productive.”
Protecting Sundays has changed how I show up the rest of the week. It gives me clarity before Monday hits. It helps me feel emotionally regulated instead of scattered. And most importantly, it reminds me that rest is part of building something sustainable, not something you earn after burning yourself out.
When I don’t guard this time, everything else feels louder. When I do, my week moves with more intention and less resistance.
Sacred time creates momentum. It creates peace. And it makes building a brand feel less overwhelming and more aligned.
No Social Media Work After School (except Wednesdays)
This is probably the softest habit I’ve added, and the one that’s changed my nervous system the most.
After work, I don’t do social media work anymore.
No editing. No posting. And no checking analytics. And no spiraling about engagement.
Once the school day ends, my only options are things that help me decompress and come back into my body:
- going to the gym (Quick plug to my Gym Routine Post)
- reading
- making ramen
- watching K-dramas
- sitting in silence
- doing nothing at all
Teaching takes so much mental and emotional energy. I’m talking all day, managing behavior, making decisions nonstop. By the time I get home, my brain needs quiet, not more stimulation.
This boundary isn’t about being lazy. It’s about respecting my capacity.
The internet will always be there. My peace deserves first access to my evenings.
And honestly? When I stopped forcing myself to “do more” after work, I started enjoying my creativity again. I stopped resenting it. I stopped associating it with exhaustion.
Softness after school isn’t optional for me anymore. It’s necessary.
Only Working on Social Media on Wednesdays + Sundays
I used to live online. Constantly checking. Constantly reacting. Or constantly feeling like I was behind.
Now, I don’t.
I only work on social media intentionally on Wednesdays and Sundays.
That’s it.
Those are my creation days. My planning days. My space to show up online with clarity instead of chaos.
A lot of this slow, intentional start comes from how I plan and journal, and I shared more of that process in My iPad Digital Planner Setup: How I Plan, Journal & Stay Grounded.
This boundary has brought so much calm into my life. It keeps me from doom-scrolling. It keeps me from tying my mood to engagement numbers. And it helps me remember that my real life is allowed to exist offline.
Having strict boundaries with my creativity actually protects it. When everything becomes content, you start to hate the thing you once loved. Limiting when I work helps me stay excited, inspired, and emotionally available for the work itself.
I don’t want to build a life that only exists online. I want my life to come first and my content to grow from there.
My Cozy Winter Routines
My winter routines aren’t elaborate. They’re intentionally simple.
That’s the whole point.
Lighting a Candle and Turning on the Fireplace
One of the soft habits I am incorporating this winter is that the moment I get home, I light a candle and turn on the fireplace.
It sounds small, but it signals safety to my body. Warmth. Stillness. A transition from the outside world into my space.
This routine helps my nervous system settle after a long day. It grounds me. It reminds me that I don’t have to carry everything with me into the evening.
Cozy doesn’t need to be complicated to be powerful.
Slow Evenings With a Book, K-Drama, or Anime
Most nights, I’m either reading or watching a K-drama.
Not both. No multitasking. Just one thing at a time.
This is me choosing rest instead of doom-scrolling. Choosing stories instead of noise. Choosing something that fills me up instead of drains me.
Winter evenings are meant to be slow. I’m letting them be exactly that.
If you’re looking for a good anime or book for the new season check out my post, Best Romance Anime Series & Their Perfect Book Pairings. It gives the best of both worlds.
A Soft Wind-Down Ritual
Some nights, it’s a warm shower. Some nights, it’s lotion and pajamas. And some nights, it’s a soft playlist playing quietly while I sit on the couch.
There’s no strict formula, its a soft habit not a die-hard ritual. Let it be that.
The ritual is simply choosing care over urgency.
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The Books I’m Starting the Year With
This is my favorite part of easing into a new year.
Winter reading feels different. Slower. Deeper. More emotional.
I’m starting January with books that feel like blankets. Stories that match the season instead of fighting it.
Here are a few of the reads I’m beginning the year with:
- Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez
- I chose this one because it’s deeply introspective and very character-driven. It’s the kind of story you sit with, not rush through. I’m excited to annotate and tab this book!
- The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest
- This one feels cozy in the best way. Low-stress, comforting, and quietly romantic. Exactly what I want on winter nights when I just want to disappear into a story and shut the world out for a bit.
- Sweet Heat by Bolu Babalola
- This is my warmth pick. People have been raving about this one all 2025. I read Honey & Spice the first book and was in love with it! So I’m excited for this one.
- The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
- A true comfort read for me. Familiar, grounding, and easy to sink into when my brain feels tired, but I still want something meaningful to hold onto.
Each of these books matches the energy I want for winter: intentional, reflective, and slow.
If you’re curious about how I choose books seasonally and why it’s completely changed my reading life, I’ll be sharing more about that in my upcoming Seasonal Reading System post!
Reading doesn’t have to be about hitting numbers. It can be about meeting yourself where you are.
What I’m Not Doing This January
I’m not rushing.
Not this year.
I’m not trying to transform my entire life in four weeks. I’m not abandoning myself because I can’t do everything perfectly. And I’m not pretending winter is a time for constant forward motion.
This season is for soft habits, sustainability, and trust.
A Gentle Closing
If you’re reading this, I hope you give yourself permission to ease into the year, too.
You don’t need a dramatic reset. You don’t need to be “behind.” And you don’t need to become someone else to be worthy of rest.
Tell me what you’re reading this winter. Share one soft habit you’re adding to your January.
Winter is allowed to be slow.
✨Don’t Miss a Thing! ✨
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