Happy New Year, lovelies! ❤️
How has 2026 been treating you so far? Personally, I’m feeling quite optimistic about the new year, and I aspire it to become a year of personal growth. I’m interested in improving certain aspects of my life such as nutrition, but I’d also like to take better care of my physical and mental health. Of course, the easiest way to start working on your dream life and the best version of yourself is to improve your habits and build consistent routines that’ll support your new lifestyle.
In this post, I’m going to share the 5 habits I’m tracking this January. My main focus is to manage my anxiety better, support my yearly goals, and spend more time doing things that are not… doom scrolling.
My January 2026 HabitS
1. Reading
Last year, I really didn’t read many books. This year, I want to read 30 – and it’s not difficult to find which books to read. My reading list is longer than ever. I love the idea of reading, and I used to read so much more when my attention span wasn’t SO awful. So, this year I want to get back to this good habit. I’d like to spend less of my free time in front of screens, but I also know that it’ll help me with my writing and will hopefully improve my attention span.
I’m cautiously optimistic because I already read the first book of the year: The Wisdom of Life by Arthur Schopenhauer. My next read is going to be the classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.
Feel free to keep up with my reading shenanigans on Goodreads. I’ll follow back!
2. Waking Up Early
I’ve been struggling to get out of bed early for all my adult life. I mean, I do it if I have an obligation or a trip to take, but otherwise it’s just so difficult to me to get motivated and get out of bed early to work on my own goals or projects. To be honest, it’s a pity because nowadays I tend to be more productive in the mornings than in the evenings.
So, a little before the new year I started working on that. Thankfully, my partner, who wakes up early for work anyway, loves waking me up every morning and there have been no complaints. I don’t always get up early successfully, and I still sleep late at nights (so yeah, there’s room for improvement) but I do enjoy it. I tend to be more productive and get more things done, and I’ve seen a tiny improvement when it comes to my anxiety.
3. Stretching
I neglected movement in 2025. So, to get back on track, I started the year gently with stretches. The first day I stretched, things were… not good. I felt weak, stiff, and old. Thankfully, things are improving the more often I stretch. It’s still too early to report any significant results, but I do feel a little more flexible and I’ve seen improvements when it comes to my healing process from an ankle sprain I had in November.
I currently follow this routine by Mady Morrison, and I just love that there’s only music in her videos. I’m probably going to try her Pilates work-outs soon.
4. Affirmations
You probably know by now how much I love affirmations. Despite that though, I haven’t been practicing them consistently. I’m telling you. I really didn’t take good care of myself in 2025.
Anyway, this year I truly want to improve both my confidence and self esteem, and I feel like affirmations are necessary for that. So, I’ve been trying to include them in my daily routine. Sometimes, I listen to an affirmations video on YouTube while I’m walking outside (I haven’t picked favorites yet, I just choose what resonates at the time) and other times, I practice a few in front of the mirror either in the morning or before sleep. Personally, affirmations affect tremendously my inner talk, and they feel essential to my wellness journey.
5. Journaling
January is traditionally a month we set goals and plan our action steps for the first quarter of the year. For me, this January has also been a month of realizations regarding my past and parts of me that still need healing. So, journaling is a useful tool because it helps me identify patterns and recurring thoughts that I need to let to go of. It also helps me practice forgiveness and realize how far I’ve come in life.
Moreover, I often journal to design the best version of myself and identify the life I want to have – the experiences I want to live. Currently, I’m not actually following any journal prompts and I just let my own thoughts out.
Thank you for being here today – for reading and supporting my blog.
What are your main habits for 2026? What are the habits that you’re tracking this month? Feel free to let me know in the comments!
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