It's Time to Plan #10

10 Things to think about before January 01, 2026

By Leah Powers

Happy New Year’s Eve!

Well, we made it.

If you’re reading this with one eye on the clock and the other on a half-empty to-do list, congratulations. You survived the holidays, your patience was tested, your schedule was stretched, and your emotions probably clocked some overtime. And no, you didn’t go through all of that for nothing.

Before we step into 2026, let’s take a clear look at where we’ve been.

Over the past nine columns, we covered real ground:

What you needed to give up
How to manage Christmas Day
How to manage too much Christmas
Cleaning up after chaos and setting intentions
Starting to look forward using the three pillars
Working backwards—Part One
Working backwards—Part Two
Giving it a name: BRIMMM
Giving it a name: BRIMMM, refined

And now we’re here.

Today’s lesson is simple and important: you didn’t go through all this for nothing.

Let’s be clear about what you actually did this season.

You worked with the three pillars:Family, Friends, and Work and started setting real priorities instead of pretending everything matters equally.
You cleaned up after chaos and set intentions instead of just collapsing into exhaustion.
You picked a point in the future and worked backwards instead of winging it.
You used the BRIMMM method to clarify boundaries, expectations, and energy—both yours and everyone else’s.

So yes; you learned something.

But here’s the part where I need to step in as your strategist, not your cheerleader:
If you think next year will magically be different without a plan, please remember: Denial is not just a river in Egypt.

Fact #1: No one plans a family trip by “just driving and seeing what happens.”
You use a map. You plan stops, budgets, accommodations, timing, and, most importantly, a destination.

Fact #2: Treating the holidays any differently makes no sense.
Hoping things will be different next year is not a strategy; it’s wishful thinking.

Fact #3: You need a map.
Guidelines. A plan.
Getting lost isn’t adventurous; it’s inefficient.
And planning doesn’t kill spontaneity; it prevents avoidable disasters.

Fact #4: You now have something incredibly valuable: data.
Not theories. Not guesses. Real-world experience.

You know:

Where your stress spikes
Who drains your energy
Which traditions cost more than they give
When exhaustion shows up, every single time...

Those emotions weren’t overreactions. They were feedback.

Fact #5: The patterns are familiar, and that’s the point.

Overcommitting.
Playing peacemaker.
Leaving planning too late.
Making things unnecessarily complicated.
Being afraid to change.
Focusing on too many details instead of a few meaningful ones.

Ask any event planner: the best events don’t do everything; they do a few things well.

Patterns don’t repeat by accident. They repeat because they’re ignored.

So how do you avoid this next year?

You name what you learned.

Because what you can name, you can plan for.

Write clear, honest statements:

“I need recovery time.”
“One yes creates five obligations.”
“I don’t enjoy chaos; I endure it.”

These aren’t complaints. They’re coordinates on your map.

And here’s the final takeaway; one you’ll want to keep well past January:

This map works for more than the holidays.

Use it for:

Work
Family dynamics
Time management
Goal-setting

Better planning isn’t about doing more.
It’s about doing less; intentionally, deliberately, and without apology.

You don’t need a brand-new version of yourself for 2026.
You just need to stop ignoring what you already know.

Now that is how you start the year.

"Happy 2026, Love Leah"

Tags: #Leah Powers #Yearend Strategy #Horoscope Thoughts #Planning 2026 #Things To Think About