The New Year doesn’t always arrive with fireworks.
Sometimes it enters quietly—through a doorway you didn’t realize you were standing in.
As 2026 begins, many of us find ourselves in the in-between:
between seasons of life, between identities, between certainty and change. And while the instinct is often to decide faster or do more, I’ve learned that the most grounding thing we can do instead is build steady habits that bring us back to center.
The in-between is not a pause in life.
It is life.
Why the In-Between Feels So Unsettling
Transitions disrupt identity. When routines shift—parenthood, career evolution, cultural belonging, grief, reinvention—we lose familiar reference points. The nervous system craves predictability, and without it, we feel unmoored.
This is where habits matter—not as productivity hacks, but as anchors of identity.
In Atomic Habits, James Clear reminds us that habits are not about achieving goals; they are about reinforcing who we believe ourselves to be.
When life feels ambiguous, habits offer something quietly powerful:
continuity.
The Question That Changed How I Build Habits
Instead of asking:
What do I want to accomplish this year?
I ask:
What do I visit daily?
What do I return to when I’m tired?
What helps me feel like myself again?
What brings me back into my body, my values, my sense of truth?
These daily visits—small, repeatable, forgiving—are how I stay centered in the in-between.
Habits That Create Center (Not Pressure)
My most stabilizing habits are almost invisible:
A quiet morning ritual before the day begins
A short walk without tracking or optimization
A few minutes of creative touch—paper, pigment, arranging materials
Returning to beauty: light, music, a well-set table
One grounding question: What’s true for me right now?
These habits don’t push me forward aggressively.
They bring me home.
Why Small Habits Matter More During Transitions
During times of change, big goals can feel destabilizing. Small habits, however, do something essential:
they remind us that we can trust ourselves.
Each habit is a vote for steadiness.
Each repetition says: I’m still here.
As 2026 unfolds, I’m not aiming for reinvention.
I’m choosing rhythm.
A life shaped by what I return to—again and again.
Reflection:
As you step into this year, ask yourself:
What habit helps me stay centered?
What do I already return to when I need clarity?
What identity am I reinforcing through repetition?
You don’t need to rush through the doorway.
Build the habit of standing well.