Every January comes with pressure. The pressure to change, to do better, to become someone new, to magically transform into your “best self” by the end of week one. But this year? We’re not here for that energy. This year isn’t about reinventing yourself. It’s about repairing what life has chipped away at.
South Africa (12 January 2026) – It’s the first “working” Monday of 2026. And ja… I know. A lot of you took A LOT of leave. Like proper, committed leave. You literally have no idea what day it is. You’ve started calling every meal “a snack, and you haven’t had an email “find you well” in over a month. GOOD for you! You deserved it. I hope you feel rested and recharged and like you actually got to breathe for a bit.
But… the economy needs you now babe.
And so does everyone else… ja, all those people who are working already (or haven’t stopped).
I’m about to digress. Jammer.
Every year, at the beginning of the year, I write a little piece about New Year’s resolutions. I try to make it as “soft” as possible. Something easy to implement, but still good enough to see benefits from. Over the years, these things have morphed into the ultimate “A year of intentions,” rather than hard realities to change.
I scrapped that completely this year, and on the 1st of January, I published an article about how I was going to tell more people to go f*ck themselves (amongst other things). Good Things Guy goes rogue. Lolzies… not really. There was more meaning to it. And more resolutions. But also FFS Rocky. See, it feels lekker.
But where am I going with this?
Well, we’re already (almost) halfway through January, and I can promise you a lot of you have already broken your resolutions, forgotten your resolutions, or watched your resolutions get drop-kicked by real life. And if that’s you, I need you to hear this clearly: you’re not failing. You’re just human. We all do it. The year always starts with big energy and big plans, and then suddenly it’s traffic, deadlines, budgets, family stuff, emails marked “URGENT” and to-do lists longer than your arm.
So maybe what we need isn’t a reset.
Related Story
A new approach, if you will.
I was chatting with Nicole van Strijp, a good friend, over the weekend about the year ahead. We started to talk about a theme… like “words that rhyme with”.
2025 was the twenty-twenty “thrive” vibes.
2024 was the twenty-twenty “more” year.
2023 was twenty-twenty “free”.
But what is 2026?
I joked and went straight to “dicks”. We both laughed. And then she said something so profound. Something so meaningful. Something that I knew I had to share with you.
It’s twenty-twenty FIX.
I love that. Because it feels real. It feels doable. It feels like something we can commit to without pretending life is perfect.
So this is the year to fix things.
Fix your career. Fix your confidence. Fix the way you speak to yourself. Fix that thing you keep tolerating because you’ve convinced yourself it’s “just how it is”. Fix your finances, even if it starts small. Fix your habits, not by being extreme, but by being consistent. Fix your home, even if it’s just one cupboard door, one broken handle, one leaking tap that’s been draining your money while you pretend it’s not happening.
But also… fix the deeper stuff.
Fix your relationships… not the toxic ones that keep pulling you under (tell them to f*ck off) but the ones that matter. The ones that are worth saving. Fix them by making the call. Sending the message. Showing up. Being brave enough to say, “I miss you” or “I’m sorry” or “I was wrong.” Fix the stuff that’s been sitting between you and someone you love… because life is too short and time is too rude.
Fix your peace. Fix your boundaries. Fix your energy. Fix the constant habit of giving your best to everyone else and leaving scraps for yourself. Fix the way you keep pushing through when your body is begging you to rest. Fix the way you keep saying yes because you’re scared people won’t like you if you say no.
Fix the parts of your life that feel heavy… by finally dealing with them. This is the year friends!
And maybe the most important fix of all is to stop treating January like a deadline.
You’re not behind. You’re not late. You haven’t “ruined the year” because you didn’t drink enough water in week one or because you ate like a raccoon at midnight in week two. You’re allowed to restart at any point. You’re allowed to change your mind. You’re allowed to adjust the plan. You’re allowed to begin again… even if the year has already begun.
So as we head back into the real world today, back into meetings and deadlines and budgets and “quick calls”… maybe this is the year we don’t chase perfection.
Maybe this is the year we just fix the things that need fixing.
One thing at a time. One choice at a time. One brave conversation at a time. One small act of self-respect at a time.
A year from now, you won’t remember every email you sent or every day you were too busy to breathe… but you will remember the things you repaired. The relationships you healed. The habits you changed. The courage you found. The moments you chose yourself. And the peace you protected.
So welcome back South Africa.
Let’s not try be perfect this year.
Let’s just fix things.
Also, if that doesn’t work for you… you can always revert back to dicks.
Okay. Love you. Bye.
by 