Wow! Year 11 of annual themes. Kinda crazy. Very cool.
(I listed the prior 10 as well as key relevant milestones at the bottom of this blog)
I’m grateful for this practice. I was never much of a resolution person, but after graduating from undergrad in 2013, I think the abyss that was “life” ahead of me felt overwhelming. I needed to put what I was experiencing in blocks. Years tend to do that. But also - if you’re not paying attention - even years can come and go so quickly. It can feel like nothing’s changing!
Something’s always changing.
In fact, everything’s always changing. I’m tempted to go on a big rant about how literally moments pass us every second (millisecond!) so LITERALLY everything is truly always changing, but I’ll limit it to just this one sentence instead.
This practice has helped me accomplish a lot over the years. Similar to what seems like 90% of Gen Z, I too would like to self diagnose myself as ~~~NeUrOdIvErGeTt~~~. Do I get to do that? If a millennial uses Gen Z slang - is that appropriation, or does it show enlightenment?
Either way. I find almost everything better in chunks. TV. Working out. I’ve never taken Adderall (maybe I should). I’ve never had the same full time job for more than 20 months. I keep my life moving, and I like to keep it digestible.
Setting these themes has allowed me to add intentional energy into a direction of my life that feels like it needs some love. As you can see from the various themes, energy can be needed in a wide variety of places.
This year, I landed on a theme I like a lot (not all themes are created equal obviously):
2026: My Body My Choice
Very original, I’m aware. In all seriousness (as you’ll see if you keep reading), also an ode to feminism. I am a feminist. I support the language and message behind the saying “My Body My Choice” and embrace this slogan in an effort to be an accomplice.
With this as my theme, here are my 4 main intentions for 2026:
Intention: Daily sun salutations + consistent yoga practice
“If you give a mouse a cookie, he’s going to ask for a cup of milk.”
If you develop a healthy habit that serves you, you’re going to continue to explore the practice even deeper. Norma’s yoga practice fundamentally shifted her life. She completed a 200 hour YTT program and remains highly committed to maintaining her yoga practice through a variety of local classes as well as her own practice here at home. Being around her has naturally inspired me to explore yoga more. Struggling to commit to any extended period of time, but aware that my body loves moving and stretching, I have spent the last 3 months doing at least 2 sun salutations a day. I often try to use them as a “tax” that must be paid to use my phone, but realistically they usually happen sometime before I get to my desk.
This small act of 2 sun salutations has really shifted my days. I notice a difference in how I feel. I will often pause what I’m doing if it has become 9/10AM and I haven’t done them yet. I immediately feel better.
As such, I want to keep up this habit while also committing to two yoga classes a week.
The two yoga classes per week will be from who I am choosing to be my yoga teacher. Long Beach’s own: Blakwatter (Dr. Rufus Fuller). Blakwatter stands for Be Loving And Kind Wisdom Attained Through Trial Error Reflection. Not all yoga classes feel good. His almost always do. Find me on the bluffs Fridays at 11AM and at the Yogalution studio Mondays at 6. Join me if you like.
Intention: EAT SLOWER
My mom told me that when I was a kid she would sometimes get anxious when we would go out to eat places. This was because I would scarf my food down so quickly, she would worry that the other diners would assume she is starving me at home.
As a 34 year old, I wish I could say the times have changed. I just recently had a friend tell me that he loves how fast I eat, because it makes him feel better about himself (and he feels he eats too fast. lol).
My metabolism isn’t what it used to be. I don’t get as much movement as I did in my 20s. I don’t process food as well as I used to. I can’t eat as much as I used to. Science shows that we often over eat when eating quickly because our brains have not processed that we are full yet.
I have internally set this intention for many years, so it felt overdue to include it as a written intention for 2026. Some of the “tactics” I aim to employ to achieve this goal include:
setting my fork (or food, in cases like burritos) down between bites
breathing intentionally while eating
waiting 10/15 minutes before going back for seconds
Will see how this one goes.
Intention: More advocacy
To be clear - yes, I’m aware that I’m choosing a slogan that origins stem from advocating for reproductive rights.
I too am in favor of advocating for a woman’s right to choose - even if the supreme court isn’t making a major decision this week.
I also want to step into a larger role as an advocate as our nation goes through what seems to be the most dramatic and rapid changes since the Declaration of Independence.
Just like eating slow must become a daily habit, I believe advocacy and being vocal in my dissent will be as important as ever this year. Last year I attended multiple protests (No Kings, Hands off, etc.), and this year I hope to maintain that physical presence as well.
This advocacy will also show itself in the form of phone calls which I plan to make more consistently. I will call local and state officials. I already called Robert Garcia’s office to encourage his continued dissent of this administration’s actions - 1 more call to an elected representative than I have done in many many years.
Intention: NO FAKE SH*T
Some years ago at a restaurant, there was a note in fine print on the bottom of the cocktail menu. It read:
Straws available upon request... you turtle killer.
Yikes! I guess I’ll pass on the straw.
This has elevated into me declining folks who offer me a bag at grocery stores and farmer’s markets by saying “let’s save the turtles.”
Plastic seems to be in everything these days.
Processed food ain’t what it used to be. Beef jerky used to be dried beef. Now there’s 17 ingredients.
Profitability around our food systems has reached the point of no return. Pure raw foods are harder and harder to find. Even if it is “just a strawberry,” the likelihood of some form of chemical or pesticide involved in it’s growth is almost absolute. Cutting boards aren’t even wooden boards anymore... they are just Tonka Trucks that have been melted down into a mold.
So, the goal here (especially with the lens of “My Body My Choice”) is simple: NO FAKE SH*T in my body. Food, plastics, synthetics (well, maybe soooooome synthetics, if you catch my drift), pesticides, processed, whatever it may be - KEEP IT AWAY FROM ME AND THIS BEAUTIFUL TEMPLE I AM STEWARDING!!
So there you have it. First blog of 2026, and first time doing an extended write up on my themes for the year in some time.
If you have any goals or focuses or resolutions for 2026 - I’d love to hear them. My passion in life comes from learning about how to navigate this wild journey we’re on, and I always am curious how others navigate the terrain.
Prior Annual Themes + Major Milestones:
2016 - Mindfulness
Calmness through rejection of PhD application,
Clarity to quit abusive work environment quickly.
Decision to travel through South America for 3 months.
2017 - Write Your Own Narrative
Got engaged to Norma
Moved from LA → SF
Managed step moms chocolate shop with pride
Committed to working in cannabis
2018 - Intentionality and Alignment
Built cannabis network to 800+ contacts
First major consulting + cannabis gig ($10K+)
Shifted wedding venue from winery to Camp River Glen
2019 - Send It
Ran marathon
Launched podcast
2020 - Consistency and Cohesion
Ran 400 miles
Launched 3 month coaching program (+Happy We Met!)
2021 - Polish
Landed first ever 6 figure job
Saved money and bought condo in LB
2022 - Health and Writing
Ran LB 1/2 marathon
Got $10k scholarship based purely on MBA essays
Built LinkedIn following to 6K+ through writing
2023 - Hustle and Hydration
First ever full year with no W2 income
Built habit of drinking almost a gallon a water of day
Launched A-Team group coaching program
2024 - Money and Generosity
earned >$1,000 from 8 sources of income
Offered discounted mentorship + coaching
Stepped into board president role with Unicamp
Added monthly recurring donation to HomeBoy Industries
2025 - Community
Grew A-Team community significantly (6 total cohorts + now at 80+ total “graduates”)
Hosted 18 people for camping weekend at Catalina
Developed deeper connections in LB