As we step into a new year, I keep thinking about how loud the world has felt. The rushing, the multitasking, the endless plans, the notifications stacked on top of each other…It's no wonder we move through our days with a dull vibration of overwhelm. 

Somewhere along the way, I think we started believing that more meant fuller, better, richer. But what if a new year invites us to consider a new belief? 

What if the real magic of more is found in doing, being, acquiring…less. 

What if a new year means we get to strip everything back. Not in a dramatic, burn-it-all-down way. More like a gentle clearing. A saging, if you will. A soft, intentional release of the noise that’s been crowding our minds and tugging at our energy. 

Less stress, less fuss, less stretching ourselves soooo thin. Less of whatever leaves us feeling well…empty.  And in its place, room for more moments that fill us up. 

Determining what is essential 

I often think about how a beautifully cut diamond doesn’t need much to shine. Sure, the foundation of the engagement ring has to be present: 

• the basket or setting >> to hold your diamond

• the prongs >> to secure your diamond into place, and 

• the shank >> to allow the ring to sit securely on your finger

And…if you get those details right, you really don’t need much more. In fact, the simpler and more precise those details are, the more they showcase the unique beauty of your diamond.  

However, you add too much detail to the setting, or get those foundational elements wrong, (we’ve all seen a diamond set far too high off the finger) and the spotlight shifts. That one “off” detail can easily become a glaringly obvious distraction. What diamond? The real value of your ring, the beauty, the whole point… lost. Swallowed up by the unnecessary, distracting, accidental details.  

Like the foundation of an intentionally designed ring, I invite you to consider letting 2026 be the year you strip your life back to the essentials. Begin by making sure your foundation is solid and then slowly, build onto that with a few details - mindfully chosen to make sure what’s most important to you can shine. 

Building a foundation that can uphold what matters 

Maybe this year begs the same of us…to ask ourselves:

• What pieces of this life are essential, foundational? What are the relationships and practices that I may fall apart without?

• What is most valuable to me?  How do I showcase and protect that? 

• What details do I not want to live without?

Sometimes this means saying, “goodbye.”  

Those bits of life that feel heavy or draining…out of alignment - perhaps it’s time to let them go. Not with resentment, but with gratitude for whatever they once offered. “Goodbye…” lovingly.

And in their place…quiet, calm, alignment.

Welcoming a slower, intentional chapter

Maybe your next chapter looks like:

• Less noise, more meaning
  
  
• Less consumption, more appreciation
  
  
• Less perfection, more presence 
  
  
• Less pleasing, more purpose

Choose what matters and let the rest fall away.

My hope for the new year is that it will be your year. Custom designed, intentional, and built upon a strong foundation of the things you value most.