On Choosing a Reset Over a Resolution
Rituals, objects, and small shifts for 2026
I can’t say I really buy into resolutions so much anymore. They feel like a contract you sign with a version of yourself that doesn’t yet exist and then punish yourself for not becoming fast enough. Really the problem I have with them is they tend to be unrealistic in that they’re not sustainable.
What I have been buying into is calibration.
Small, thoughtful adjustments. Clearing static. Paying attention to the habits, patterns, and conveniences that slowly soften your relationship to what you actually want, not completely, but usually just enough to dull it.
So instead of promising to overhaul my life in January, , I spent some time looking back at 2025. Looking at what didn’t quite feel right about my habits, environment, or behavior (probably important to note, but this is based on what I can control, not what’s out of my control.) And this year I’m replacing the word resolution with reset.
Although those words can share some overlap, to me ‘reset’ feels more forgiving. Similar to a routine, it’s something you can return to, rather than succeed or fail at. This week I’m replacing our regular series The Risette List with The Reset List. In honor of ‘forgoing’ the in/out or resolution list, and instead a collection of gentle but meaningful re-patternings and objects we feel that can support them.
Not a “new me.”
A more honest one.
Here’s what I’m resetting as I step into 2026:
Welcome Mat Treat the threshold of your home with the power it deserves. Refreshing the first thing you see when you leave and return can be an easy reminder of the ‘reset’ you are welcoming into your life.
Mushroom Coffee We bought a bag from a local shop last year and have yet to use it, we love espresso so when it comes to ditching it we tend to forgo that. But this year we’re excited to ‘reset’ our palette and dive into this new flavor.
Stretch
Whether it’s after a workout or within other aspects of your life, like saying the honest thing a little sooner or asking for help before it’s too late. To stretch is to create room where you usually tighten.A Record Player Listen to whole albums, front to back, as a reminder that some things are meant to be experienced in full arcs, not fragments. Sure, this can be done with streaming, but the record player comes with the forcing function.
Glass Cleaner This one came from Kate Van Horn to “Clean your entry mirror to clarify your vision for the new year.” Which we took to and cleaned every mirror in our home on the 31st.
Matching Pitcher & Cups this one goes with #9, but the sentiment here is to open your home more to friends and family. Let go of only inviting someone in when expected weeks in advance and bring back causal drop-ins. And having a pitcher set is great for those casual hosting times on the fly.
Retire One Convenience That Has Become a Crutch
We are living in an age of instant fulfillment. And while I love ease, I’ve noticed that too much convenience slowly dissolves your relationship to effort, to place, to people, to time. This reset is to intentionally remove one of these convenience habits (even for just one time). These could be:Walking into your local shop for body lotion instead of tapping Amazon.
Sitting inside your favorite take-out spot and ordering from a human instead of your phone.
Red LED Mask Next to dry brushing, this is our favorite thing to commit to weekly and truly feels like a ‘reset’ even after just 10 minutes! A reminder that healing can be passive, too.
Less Going Out
Not isolation, but invitation. If your default is meeting at a bar, try hosting. Light a candle. Put a record on. Make a simple drink. Let conversations unfold. Let your home become a place that holds people.
What are you doing to reset this year?