As we enter the second month of the year, I must ask. “How are you?” The world feels especially heavy right now. We are attempting to balance day-to-day life, career, business, and family amid an increasingly dystopian news feed. It can feel intolerable and overwhelming. Today, I want to talk about why I’m harnessing more in 2026 (and beyond)
This week’s blog will, I hope, feel more like we are having a chat. I am aware that content from personal development coaches can come across as instructive or even a bit preachy. I know that when I draft my social media and blog posts, I will frequently tweak and change what I write and when I share. Sometimes the messages don’t align with the timing. Right now, they may feel completely inadequate.
Having written for my site for over 10 years, I have found that I am increasingly affected in my professional life by local, national and global events. When another shocking story is shared, it can feel as if the day-to-day work we do just doesn’t matter. On top of this, we all have personal stresses and challenges to juggle; it can be easy for so many of us to move into survival mode. To quieten our voices. Protect our careers and hunker down.
We are being bombarded on a day-to-day basis with the most horrific information.
But I’ve entered 2026 with a new perspective. Not one that minimises the very real threats that exist in the ever-changing world, but one that will help me create the resilience to show up for everyone that I want to.
There are structures that encourage us to stay small: to feel guilty, to withdraw from a community, to pit ourselves against one another.
But let’s make 2026 the year we stop.
I’m giving myself the challenge of more.
Over the years, I come to learn lots of things about myself; what I need to have within my life to make sure I am the best version of who I can be.
The start of the year often leaves us feeling less than. From New Year Resolutions to the marketing-backed “Blue Monday”.
Instead, I want to bring more into my life.
I’m not going to overcomplicate it with SMART Goals, SWOT analysis, outcomes and outputs.
The only measurement for success is how I feel.
I am going to do, be, have and think more. But, maybe not in the way you expect.
And the list is quite simple:
- Speak out more.
- Challenge more.
- Insist on more accountability.
- Take more photos.
- Move more.
- Read more.
- Travel more.
- See my friends more.
- Invest more.
- More mini adventures.
- More stress management.
For anyone to be able to support our families and communities during challenging times, we need to be able to have the resources to do so; be it financial, emotional, mental or physical. And to do so, we need to give ourselves permission. To speak up, to educate ourselves, to support each other more.
How will you harness more in 2026?
Clara Wilcox is a straight talking, practical and experienced coach helping clients navigate the tricky waters of returning to work, career changes and professional development. The Balance Collective is a social enterprise focused on improving the lives of parents, by working together to build inner confidence and promote a healthy work/life balance.
